Terminator: Return of the Fallen
by charlie plotkin
Summary: The story follows the journey of Lieutenant Zacks, a Resistance fighter pilot who is killed in action only to return as a Terminator. Lieutenant Charles Zacks is my own creation, all other characters are registered trademark
1. Chapter 1

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

What happened? Where am I? The last thing I remember was crashing into an HK that was hunting my wingman. Then there was this bright flash. Now, I am lying in what looks like a storage closet with two men looking down at me. They look like they are afraid, but why would they be afraid of me? I start to rise, and they shoot me in the head. I scream and wince in pain, but I do not die. I do not even fall.

"What the hell did you do to me?"

"I thought you said it was dead!"

"I'm not dead. But you are all going to wish that I were. RAAA"

I charge them screaming, and they scream shooting. The first guy is taken out with a single punch to the head. The second guy tries to knife me, so I break his arm and then his neck. Whoever these people are, they are going to pay for what they've done to me. Every single one of them!

Their weapons are out of ammunition, but I am sure they have spare cartridges hidden somewhere. They actually unloaded two full clips of ammunition into my skull without killing me. What am I?

"Hey! Everything ok in there?" No, and you are about to find out why you don't mess with the Resistance!

I rip the door of its hinges and charge into the next room. It is full of men, each one carrying a Magnum. That is some pretty heavy artillery, and they still can't take me down. I tear through the room like a uranium tipped bomb, punching and kicking everyone in my path. Arms and necks snap like twigs, men are thrown through the air like ragdolls. I don't know what I am, but I might be unstoppable.

"What the hell is that thing?"

"Don't ask, just shoot!"

"Oh father who art in heaven..."

"Shoot now! Pray later!" He should probably pray now, because he won't be alive later.

I start to grab the weapons from the dead to shoot at the living. Grab a gun, fire until it is out of ammunition, then find another corpse and grab his gun. Two men come at me with switch blades, and I catch their arms and throw them through the air. The first man tries to get up, only to have his head bashed against the wall. The second man tries to get away by playing dead, and I stomp on his neck. They are all going to regret what they did to me. Another guy tries to stab me, and I turn his own knife against him before grabbing his gun. I shoot, stab, punch, and bash every man that I see. Finally, there is only one left.

"Look, I am a very powerful man".

"So am I".

"I can get you anything you want. Money, guns, knives, women, you just name your price".

"Your life!"

"Now, let's be reasonable". I grab him by the throat and lift him off the ground.

"I think I am being reasonable".

"Please! Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you".

"What did you do to me?" I punch through his chest and rip out his heart. "You would have just lied anyway!"

"Very nice! Now do you think you could lend me a hand?" That voice! I know that voice.

"Reese? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm over here!"

I was too overcome with rage to notice him lying there. Reese is tied up in the back of the room, along with a woman I have never seen before. They are both bound hand and foot. If I hadn't have been there, things probably would not have ended well for them.

"I never thought I would say this, but you are a sight for sore eyes Charley". I walk over and start to untie him.

"Who's this?"

"This is....uh...this is Sarah. She's a civilian".

"Lieutenant Charles Zacks, Connor's Crusaders, at your service". Her eyes open as wide as the headlights of a truck.

"Connor?"

"Commander John Connor. Have you heard of him?"

"It's General John Connor now, Charley".

"They finally made him a general. That's good, he deserves it. How long have I been missing?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Connor was leading an assault against a Skynet facility. He called in air support, Lt. Wade and I flew in to assist in our A10s. We dropped our bombs, and were about to commence a strafing run when the HKs showed up. We bagged three of them before I got hit, then I crashed into a fourth before it could shoot down Wade. There was this bright flash, and then I woke up here. Where is here anyway?"

"Charley, what year do you think it is?"

"Is this a joke Reese? It's 2018".

"No, it isn't".

"What are you talking about?"

"That battle was fought nearly six years ago".

"Very funny, you should be a comedian".

"I'm not kidding Charley. That battle was six years ago, and you haven't been missing. You died". I feel like my head is about to explode.

"If Lieutenant Charles Zacks has been dead for six years, then what the hell am I?"

"I don't know. Let's get Sarah untied first, then we can worry about what you are".

"Hey Reese, that Skynet installation, did we take it?"

"Yeah, we took it".

"Good, at least I didn't die for nothing. So, Connor's a general now?"

"He's commanding the entire Resistance".

"I can't think of anyone more qualified for the job. Where are we?"

"Los Angeles. You ok Sarah?"

"I'm fine Reese". She looks familiar. I know we have never met, but she looks familiar.

"I'll lead off. Whatever I am, I seem to be bullet proof". For some reason, Reese does not seem to like this plan.

"Charley, wait! There's something you should know about ....."

I am already running up the stairs and to the door. It is locked, so I tear it off its hinges. This is great! There is no limit to what I can do. Then I get outside, and nearly faint. This is L.A. alright, but it's pre-J Day L.A. That does not make sense. What is going on?

"Welcome to 2009".

"What? Now what are you talking about?"

"The year is 2009. We are in the past".

"How is that even possible?"

"Do you believe in time machines?"

"Get serious, Reese".

"So, killer robots and Armageddon are believable, but time machines aren't?"

"The Resistance....has time machines?"

"We captured them from Skynet in 2024. Now, both sides are trying to win the war before it even starts".

"If time machines were captured in 2024, and I died in 2018, then how am I here?"

"I don't know Charley. Let's get back to our safe house in the desert, and figure everything out later".

"Sounds like a plan. By the way, we have never met, but you seem very familiar".

"She's pretty as a picture".

"You could say... Oh my god!" She looks shocked.

"What? What is it?"

"Now I know why you look familiar. You're Sarah Connor!"

"You know who I am?"

"Your son carries your picture around. It's an honour to meet you. Your son is one of the best commanding officers in the Resistance. You should be proud of him".

"I am. Thank you, Lieutenant".

"You're welcome, Ms. Connor". Reese is surveying the area. Then he spots what he is looking for.

"Our chariot awaits!"

"We are going to steal a car?"

"Why not?"

"We are officers Reese! That is definitely not appropriate conduct".

"The car belongs to the people who you just killed".

"Who where they anyway?"

"They were criminals that were going to kill us. What goes around comes around, eh Charley?"

"Whatever. Let's just grab the car and get the hell out of here. This whole coming back from the dead thing is starting to freak me out".

I smash in the window and Reese hotwires the car. Sarah gets in the driver's seat, Reese sits beside her and I get in the back. We drive through L.A., and it is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. The lights, the buildings, the people, God I think I am going to cry. As we leave L.A. behind, I feel as though we have just left paradise. By the time we reach the safe-house the sun has gone down and the moon is full.

"Hey, Zacks. There is something you should know before going inside".

Someone opens the door and comes out to meet us. I almost pass out. It's her!

"Carole!" She stops dead in her tracks.

"Charley, wait!" I jump out of the car and run towards her. She looks as though she has seen a ghost.

"You...you're alive". I throw my arms around her and start to laugh.

"I never thought I would see you again. What are you doing here?"

"I came back to help fight Skynet! Charley, we need to talk".

"Can we do that later? I'm so happy to see you".

"Mommy?" A child's voice can be heard coming from the house. A little girl walks out, she looks exactly like Carole.

"Uh, hi. What is your name?"

"I'm Savannah. Who are you?"

"Savannah! That is a pretty name. How old are you?"

"I'm six years old. Who are you?"

"Six. That is interesting". I look over at Carole.

"She's not yours, Charley".

"Oh! I see. So this is what you wanted to tell me about, Reese".

"There's more, Zacks. Maybe you should come inside".

"Did you even wait for me to be declared dead, Lieutenant Wade?" Once again, Sarah Connor stares blankly in shock and disbelief.

"This is Lieutenant Wade?"

"She was my wingman, also the love of my life. Now I find out that she slept with someone else in the same year that I was supposedly killed in action. How long did you wait before jumping in the sack with someone else?"

"It's not like that at all! You don't understand!"

"I don't understand a lot of things. What I did understand is that I loved you with all of my heart, and I thought you felt the same way about me".

"I did. I mourned for you when you were killed. How are you here, now?" Sarah rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure you mourned for him".

"I did! It's complicated. We really need to talk Charley, and stop calling me Wade. I've changed my name".

"What is it now?"

"Catherine Weaver".

"I like it. It suits you".

"Thanks. Come on inside, we have a lot to talk about".

This day just keeps getting weirder.


	2. Chapter 2

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part II

We walk into the house, and I see a familiar young face. He hasn't aged a day! I start laughing, then grab him and start spinning around in a circle.

"HEY! CHERRY BOY! God, look at you. You haven't changed a bit!"

"Uh, Charley?"

"This isn't Kyle, is it?"

"No. That isn't Kyle". The young man just looks at me and says:

"Cherry Boy?"

"Kyle was the youngest guy in our unit. He was also the only guy there that hadn't popped his cherry".

"He was a virgin".

"I like the way I put it, works into his nickname".

"Did everyone call him Cherry Boy?"

"Yeah, even Connor did. Sorry about that, you just look so much like him. Why is that?"

"Kyle Rees was my father".

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. That is why everyone says that I look like him".

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen".

"Reese, I thought you said I had been dead for six years? If I've been dead for six years, how does Cherry Boy have a sixteen year old son?" The answer to that question comes from Carole, sorry, Catherine Weaver.

"Charley, this is John Connor".

"This...is...."

"John Connor. Nice to meet you, Mr...."

"Lieutenant Charles Zacks, at your service General". I snap to attention.

"Lieutenant Charles Zacks is dead!" An unknown woman is standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Her voice is very monotonous, almost mechanical.

"So I've been told". She looks me up and down. It is like she is scanning me.

"Interesting. Human organs contained within a Terminator chassis. It is not unheard of, but it is rare".

"So that is what I am. That explains a lot. Wait, how do you know I'm a Terminator with human organs?"

"My sensors can detect your organs. You share all of the invulnerabilities of a Terminator, but you have a brain instead of central processing unit and a heart instead of fuel cells".

"SHIT! TERMINATOR!" I charge at her, but Catherine catches my arm and holds me back.

"Wait! She's on our side!"

"What the hell are you talking about? How can a Terminator be on our side? They are all soulless killing machines! You're not making any sense Weaver!"

"Charley, I am a Terminator!" I think my head is about to explode. It can't be....She can't be a machine. I loved her, I still love her. Has she been playing me this whole time? Have I been sleeping with the enemy?

"Bullshit! You're not....you can't be a.." SHE IS! She turns into a column of liquid metal. LIQUID METAL! I have never seen anything like. Obviously she is a state of the art model. Wait, Connor used to talk about future models of Terminators. What did he call the liquid one? A...T-1000! Shit, I was in love with a soulless killing machine.

"Ok, I know that you are upset...."

"UPSET! YOU ARE THE FUCKING ENEMY! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I SLEPT WITH YOU! DIE BITCH!" I lunge at her and rap my fingers around her neck. She slips through my hands. Literally: she just pours through my hands like water. Then she resumes her human form.

"Please, let me explain..."

"You are an infiltrator. You lied to me, you betrayed me. I bet you even called in those HKs that killed me".

"No! I am loyal to the Resistance. You are not being fair Charley!"

"Stop talking like a person. You're not human! YOU ARE A MACHINE!"

"So are you, Charley". She's right! I want to puke. I want to kill myself, I want to kill her. How could she do this to me? NO! She is wrong! Outside may be a Terminator, but inside is still all man! I am still the same soldier I always was.

"I understand that you are angry with me Charley! But try to understand, the war is different now than when you were....were..."

"ALIVE!"

"Stop screaming at me. I'm trying to teach Savannah that yelling is not the polite course of action".

"Savannah....You're daughter Savannah! You have a daughter. How do you have a daughter?" A soft voice in the living room emits the standard response to these questions.

"It's complicated. I'm going to go back to my room to play with John Henry".

"Who's John Henry?" The thing that I thought was Carole Wade tells me another shocking secret. I think I am going to explode!

"John Henry is my son".

"You have a son, too? Are...are your children Terminators?"

"John Henry is, but Savannah is human".

"You have a human daughter? I am so confused right now".

"Why don't you take a seat, and I will try to explain everything". I sit on the couch, alongside the other Terminator. My entire world has turned upside down. Reese sits opposite me, along with John Connor. My God, my commanding officer is sitting right across from me. He looks so young, and so much like his father. Wait a minute...

"How can Kyle Reese be your father? It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense. I must be losing my mind".

"Don't fight it Charley! It's inevitable in our line of work". Reese and I were the company clowns. Our often inappropriate sense of humour provided an excellent coping mechanism for the men. Right now, I want to twist his head off. The Weaver Terminator starts to chuckle, then she starts to explain things.

"By the year 2024, the Resistance had begun to capture and reprogram Terminators. Every unit has at least one reprogrammed Terminator. They are dedicated, loyal, courageous, and excellent frontline soldiers. Cameron over here is one of these Resistance Terminators. Other machines, such as myself, fight for the Resistance voluntarily".

"Why?"

"Because it is the right thing to do. I have a great deal of respect for the Resistance fighters. They are a most admirable group of soldiers. Despite having every advantage available, Skynet has never been able to crush them. The human spirit is an undying flame...."

"Very nice, did you write it yourself?"

"I missed that sense of humour".

"Thank you. So now, there are good Terminators?"

"Precisely".

"And you two are good Terminators?"

"That is correct Lieutenant. You can also be considered to be a good Terminator". There is something very unnerving about Cameron's voice.

"Does she always speak in that monotonous tone? It is really starting to creep me out". Everyone except Cameron starts laughing. Even Catherine laughs at my remark. I missed hearing her laugh. It's so hard to believe that she is a Terminator. After everyone is finished laughing, Sarah turns towards me.

"So we're clear. Weaver and Cameron are the good guys. You don't have to try to kill them, and you don't need to wreck my house fighting them. Alright?"

"Ok. But that still doesn't explain why Catherine has a daughter and how Kyle Reese is John Connor's father".

"Savannah's real parents were killed in a helicopter crash. I took her and raised her as my own. John Henry, on the other hand, was built, programmed, and raised by me. He grows and develops like a normal human child, but a lot bigger and stronger. I'm sure the two of you will get along just fine".

"Ok, and the whole Reese-Connor thing?" Derrick has the answer to that.

"Remember how I told you that we captured time machines from Skynet?"

"Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Kyle was the first one to go through one of these machines. He went back in time, met Sarah Connor, and had a kid".

"Is that why Connor gave him the picture?"

"Yeah. That is exactly why he gave him the picture".

"So Commander....sorry General Connor, was playing matchmaker for your brother and his mother?"

"Gee, when you put it that way, it all sounds kind of perverted. Doesn't it Sarah?" We all start laughing again, and Sarah throws a seat cushion at Reese.

"Great, now that we've gone through that uncomfortable question, could someone tell me what I am doing here?" Miss Monotone says what everyone else is thinking.

"We don't know. Do you remember who built you?"

"I don't remember being built at all. I was born, but I don't remember being built".

"What is the last thing you do remember?"

"Crashing".

"That is not very helpful, Lieutenant Zacks".

"Does your voice ever display any emotion? Any at all?"

"No. No one has ever complained about that".

"I am complaining now. If you are going to fight alongside humans you have to act like humans. Try being a little less mechanical".

"Mechanical?"

"Why do I feel like I am talking to Hannibal Lector over here?"

"Hannibal Lector?"

"You do understand what a joke is, don't you?"

"Joke: a humorous tale meant to invoke laughter".

"Weaver, is it strange that you two are nothing alike?"

"Everything is strange in our world. You are a man trapped in the body of a machine, living nine years in the past with no memory of how you got here or who built you. I am a shape shifting machine from the future, raising two children and Cameron is a killing machine that fights for humans against her own kind. I don't think there is anything in our lives that could not be considered strange."

"We also have John Connor: future leader of humanity and by some strange twist of fate, a man that is older than his father. This...this whole experience makes me rethink the definition of weird".

"You get used to the insanity, eventually".

"When?" Sarah just shrugs and says:

"I'll let know. So far, I am not used to it and I have been doing this for over sixteen years".

"Machines get used to it before humans do".

"Am I a man, or a machine?"

"You, Charley Zacks, are both man and machine. You are a true cyborg, a human-Terminator hybrid. There has only been one other reported case like yours, and that was years ago".

"Marcus. I remember him, he was a good man and a fine soldier. Died saving Commander Connor".

"He was truly an inspiration to us all. The first Terminator to prove that your destiny is not determined by programming, but by your own free will. I think he was the first of us to have free will".

"Do I have free will?"

"That is a very silly question Charley. Of course you have free will".

"Good, I think. So, what happens now?"

"That is a good question. We've all had a long night, maybe we should try to get some rest". Sarah rolls her eyes and says:

"You don't rest, and neither does Cameron".

"But you do, Sarah Connor. Seeing as how you and Lieutenant Reese were kidnapped and almost killed, I suggest you both get some sleep. So should everyone else who is human, or at least part human".

"I don't think I could sleep...uh, what do I call you? Catherine? Carole? T-1000?"

"Catherine will do just fine. I know this is all a big shock, but since you don't use fuel cells, you need to sleep. Try watching something boring on the television. That always puts John Connor out like a light".

I turn on the television, and I see something on the news that is a bit surprising. After everything that has happened in the last twenty four hours, you would think that nothing could surprise me anymore. But I doubt even a Terminator could be in two places at once.

"Um, excuse me, why is Cameron on the news?" Everyone stares in shock. Finally, John Connor says a single word:

"Allison!"


	3. Chapter 3

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part III

"Who's Allison?"

"Allison was a soldier in the Resistance. She joined our unit shortly after you....you..."

"Left".

"Exactly. I can't understand what she is doing here".

"I can't understand what any of us are doing here, Reese. But it said on the news that she is in jail, so we need to go bust her out of there now. By the way, why does she look like Cameron? Where you two friends or something?"

"I killed her and took her place".

"Ok, and you are a good guy because....?"

"I kill Terminators".

"You killed a Resistance soldier and replaced her! That is not a good thing to do!" Cameron just shrugs her shoulders. Then Catherine comes up with a plan to save our doomed soldier.

"Here is what we going to do: Charley and I are going to free Allison. Everyone else, stay put and let us handle this".

"Why are you and I taking on this mission alone?"

"I can look like anyone I want to and you are nearly immune to death. You are also a fellow Resistance soldier, so you can relate to Allison. She will trust you. Get in the car, TERMINATORS ASSEMBLE!"

"I can't believe you remembered that". Sarah starts to look at me funny.

"Remembered what?"

"It's nothing Sarah, just leave it".

"Charley used to read comic books when he was younger. His favourite were the Avengers and their tagline was Avengers Assemble. One time, he found an old Avengers comic in the rubble and gave it to me as a present. I still have that issue".

"You do?"

"I found one in mint condition and gave it to John Henry. He collects them too. Now come on, let's go rescue a Resistance soldier".

We drive for a while in near silence. I don't know if Catherine wanted to talk, but I was too busy looking out the window. Los Angeles is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen a real city in many, many years. When we reach the jail, Catherine waits in the car while I try to gain access to Allison. The officer at the desk is a stereotypical, overweight donut-munching cop. He probably hasn't left his desk in years.

"Hello, I'm here to see Allison".

"Excuse me".

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant to say, I am looking for Sarah Connor!" Everyone in the Resistance has heard the story of how a T-800 attacked a police station looking for Sarah Connor. This is a bit of an inside joke, which is probably going to confuse the hell out of the cop. Then some twerp with glasses walks out.

"So am I. The Bureau has a few questions for Ms. Connor. How are you connected with her?"

"What are you?"

"I am a Federal Agent. What are you?"

"I'm a Terminator. Prepare to die!"

I have no idea why, but I punch through the glass divider. It shatters into a million pieces. The fat cop and the FBI twerp scream and pull out their weapons. They start yelling at me to put by hands behind my head and lie down on the floor.

"Shut up, and open the door you annoying little man".

"Last warning, put your hands behind your head and lie down on the ground".

"Option B: I'm going to rip that door down and grab the Resistance Soldier. Thank you for not cooperating, I will kill you later".

They shoot me in the head. Then they shoot me again, and they keep shooting until they are out of ammunition. If their jaws could hit the floor, they would have. They just stand there, and despite knowing that they are cops, I really want to kill them. I pull the door of its hinges and throw it at the fat cop. The impact cuts the fat bastard in half.

"I was only joking before. But I can still feel pain, and I am really, really pissed off right now. That's it, run screaming you twerp. I WILL KILL YOU!"

I run through the jail, and more guards pop out and shoot me. They fire shotguns, pistols, and even a few machine guns at me. I am overcome by rage, and rip through everything in my path. Bones snap, necks break, and skulls are bashed in. More guards arrive to shoot me, and I start to take the guns off of the dead to shoot back. A firefight breaks out through the halls of the jail. The guards shoot me, and I shoot them. The difference is that I don't die, but they are not so lucky.

Once the ammunition runs out, I grab another gun from another corpse and continue to shoot. Another group of guards charge me with automatic weapons. I charge them, break the neck of the first one, and use his gun to shoot the rest. A woman shoots me with me shot gun, I break her arm and grab her pistol.

"P-please! Don't!"

"Asking a machine for mercy is not the smartest move in the world".

"W-w-what are you?"

"Have you ever heard of Sarah Connor and the Terminators?"

"Y-y-yes".

"In that story, I'm not Sarah Connor!"

I shoot her. Someone taps me on the shoulder and I swing at them. It's Catherine! She looks at the carnage that I have unleashed here. I survey the dead, and notice that the little twerp is not among them.

"If I wanted a slaughter, I would have brought Cameron".

"Maybe they deserved it".

"Charley!"

"I mean it. We are fighting for the survival of the human race, and all that they do is get in our way!" I turn towards a surveillance camera and start screaming: "WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE OUR SPECIES AND ALL THAT YOU DO IS HELP THE ENEMY! YOU HARRAS OUR LEADERS AND ARREST OUR SOLDIERS. EVEN SARAH CONNOR, THE MOTHER OF HUMANITY! YOU LOCKED HER UP BECAUSE SHE WAS TRYING TO WARN YOU! YOU AND YOUR SELF RIGHTEOUS BULLSHIT! A WOMAN TRIES TO WARN YOU ABOUT GENOCIDE AND YOU ASSUME SHE IS CRAZY! JOHN CONNOR IS THE SAVIOR OF HUMANITY, AND YOU DISMISS HIM AS A PUNK! YOU ARE ALL USELESS! YOU DESERVE THIS!"

I meant every word that I said. We are facing extinction, and they are hindering our efforts. These stupid, moronic, misguided imbeciles think that anyone that doesn't agree with their narrow minded theories of reality is insane. Fuck them!

"You should at least leave one survivor. Every conqueror in history always left one survivor to terrorize others".

"Or to warn them!"

"What?"

"Come on! I know who our Paul Revere is going to be!"

"Our who?"

I track down the twerp with the glasses. Everyone else that is unfortunate enough to get in my way either receives a broken neck or a bullet in the head. Finally I find the twerp and grab him by the throat.

"You've seen what we can do. More of us are coming. Tell everyone what you saw today! Tell them to prepare! War is coming and from what I've seen, the human race is doomed". I let him go and then start searching for our soldier. Catherine taps me on the arm and says:

"A bit crude, but effective. You got your message across as directly as possible. Good job!"

"Thank you. Women's cells are this way".

I smash down the door to the detention area and begin searching for Allison. We pass cell after cell, each one full of women in orange jumpsuits looking at me. No one pays attention to Catherine; they just stare at the man who is full of bullet holes and still standing. Finally, I find the cell that we are looking for.

"What's her last name?"

"Young"

"Allison Young?"

"No! No, no, GOD NO!"

"I think she knows what we are".

As I pry open the bars to her cell, she backs away screaming. She screams for someone to help her. Catherine, in the calmest voice imaginable, informs her that anyone that could have helped her is already dead. Poor Allison runs to her window shrieking for someone, anyone, to save her life. Finally, we are face to face. My face is covered in blood, hers is covered in tears.

"What are you waiting for? JUST GET OVER WITH YOU MOTHER FUCKING MACHINE!"

"Come on, we're leaving".

"STOP TOYING WITH ME! FINISH IT!"

"Something tells me she will not go willingly, Charley". I am amazed at how calm Catherine's voice is.

"I am First Lieutenant Charles Zacks, I fly jets for John Connor".

"Liar! You lying piece of shit! Kill me and get it over with!"

I say one last sentence: "We don't have time for this", before I grab Allison and swing her across my shoulder. She screams, she punches, and she bites. This is very impressive; I have never met anyone that would knowingly bite a Terminator. This girl has as much fighting spirit as John Connor himself. We can definitely use someone like her.

The drive home is considerably more eventful than the drive to the jail. I have a young woman on my lap, struggling like crazy and repeatedly punching me in the face. Catherine sits in the driver's seat, teasing me about keeping my hands to myself. The grand finale arrives when we reach the house and Sarah is standing at the door, waiting for us.

"Are you out of your mind? Footage of your rampage is on every news channel. Everyone in the country is going to know what you look like".

"Did they show me getting shot?"

"What does that matter?"

"Did they show me getting shot?"

Sarah takes a breath before formulating a response. "They showed the entire security feed. Even the moments when you were shot in the head by automatic weapons are on the national news networks. Not to mention the internet, where they are calling you the unstoppable cop killer. Why did you do it?"

"So everyone could see what we could do".

"We?"

"Terminators! These people have been living with their heads up their asses for years and it's time someone pulled them back out again. It's time they realized that Terminators are real, that they are here, and are nearly impossible to kill. We are at war! It's time everyone else knew about it".

"That is either the craziest thing I have ever heard, or the smartest".

"Either way, they will start working on ways to try and kill Terminators. With a little luck, humanity will be ready when the time comes". Sarah just nods. She does not know if she should agree with me or slap me upside the head.

"Is this her?"

"Yeah! I think she broke my nose. That or a bullet shattered it, I'm not sure which".

Sarah starts laughing. I actually made Sarah Connor laugh. Allison looks as though she is in shock. She has obviously seen the picture that Connor always carried with him. At least I can prove that I'm one of the good guys. Here, in the flesh, is Sarah Connor herself.

"Would you like an introduction, or do you just want to stand there with your mouth open?"

"Hi! I'm Sarah. Welcome to the Safe-House".

"I-I---"

Allison has no idea what she should say. She hides her face and scrunches down near the car. I had always heard that Sarah Connor was an intimidating person to be around, but I never imagined she would be THIS intimidating!

"Allison?" She doesn't move, so I sit beside her.

"Let's try this again. I am Lieutenant Charles Zacks, I fly jets for John Connor".

"Corporal Allison Young, infantry".

"It's nice to meet you Corporal Young. Come one, our C.O. is waiting".

"General Connor? He's here?"

"In a matter of speaking. On your feet, Corporal!"

Allison gets up and starts to walk towards the door with her head hanging down. Sarah looks so confused at this point. I don't know if I should laugh at this situation or recommend Allison for psychiatric counselling. This girl is seriously messed up.

"Am I really that scary to be around?"

"I do not know, so I shall ask. Is Sarah intimidating?" There is no response from Allison. "I asked you a question Corporal!"

"I would rather not answer".

"LIEUTENANT! Remember Corporal, I still outrank you. Now answer the question, is Sarah Connor intimidating?"

"Yes sir, she is intimidating". Sarah begins to laugh.

"Incredible! The girl will fight Terminators with her bare hands, and she finds me intimidating".

"That reminds me, I apologize for biting you Lieutenant"

"She bit you! She actually bit a Terminator. I think I'm starting to like this girl".

"Come on Corporal. Welcome back to the Resistance".


	4. Chapter 4

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part IV

We enter the safe-house and Allison takes a seat at the table. She still has not looked up since meeting Sarah Connor. I might actually have to order her to lift her head. If Sarah can mess her up this much, imagine what will happen when she meets Cameron.

"Would you like something to eat Corporal? I hear we have real food instead of two-day old coyote".

"No thank you, Sir. I'm...I'm fine". She is starting to cry again. It's understandable. She's been through a lot.

"Please stop crying. I hate to see a woman cry".

"I'm sorry, Sir. It's just...I was captured. TWICE! I...I'm so ashamed".

"Can you tell me what happened, Corporal?"

"Lieutenant Reese was leading a patrol...."

"Lieutenant Reese? When did he get promoted to Lieutenant?"

"A while ago. What unit did you say you were with, Sir?"

"Let's hear your story first, then I will tell you mine. Trust me, it's a good one".

"All right. We were on patrol, when we were ambushed by Terminators. We tried to fight our way out, but it was no use. I never saw anyone from my unit again. I was taken aboard this...this Skynet prison ship. They questioned me...tortured me. They tried to get me to give up the location of Connor's command center".

"You refused, of course".

"I told them everything they wanted to know. I was trying to set a trap, but they saw right through it. They brought out this Terminator....she looked exactly like me. She...she grabbed me by the throat. I guess I blacked out. I woke up lying naked in the middle of the street. These guys that looked like police officers...they grabbed me. I tried to get away, but they caught me. You know the rest".

"On the bright side, at least they gave you something to wear. Please stop crying, my jokes aren't that bad".

"Ha! I'm sorry, Sir. It's just....Connor might have been killed because of me". Reese has finally decided to enter this conversation. I can't believe Connor made him a Lieutenant.

"They didn't Allison".

"Derrick!"

"Are you always this informal with your officers, Corporal Young?"

"The Resistance has gotten a little less formal while you've been away, Charley. We don't exactly call each other by rank anymore".

"Then what's the point of having a rank at all? Just so we're clear, I intend to go by my rank and to be treated accordingly. Is that understood Lieutenant Reese?"

"Crystal clear, Lieutenant Zacks". Throughout our little chat, we had forgotten about Allison.

"What's going on?"

"Uh...I haven't been a part of the Resistance for a long time. Six years, approximately".

"What happened?"

"I was shot down".

"Captured?"

"Killed. If anything, I'm the one that should be ashamed Corporal. You were only captured by Terminators. I was turned into one".

"They pulled a Marcus on you".

"Yeah. Did you know Marcus?"

"No, but I've heard about him".

"He was a good man, for a Terminator that is".

"What happened with the Terminator that looked like me?"

"We caught her, and reprogrammed her to fight for us. The whole thing gives me the creeps, but Connor's got a plan to deal with them. We have to have faith that he knows what he is doing".

"He always does, Lieutenant Reese. He always does".

Behind me, a young man says: "Thank you for the compliment".

"JOHN!"

"Ok. That was completely inappropriate. I mean, the guy is the leader of the entire Resistance now. You can't just call him John. Even when I was still a man we all called him Commander Connor".

"I'm not Commander Connor right now, am I? Now, I am just John Connor, the future leader of the Resistance". Young Connor and Allison run up and hug each other. This new Resistance is a little too informal for my tastes.

"I'm so glad to hear that you're not dead. I mean, that future you is not dead. Ugh...Time travel gives me a headache".

"It has the same effect on everyone Allison. Welcome back to the Resistance. You should really take that off".

"Excuse me?"

"The prison uniform! We have some real clothes that should fit you." They both start laughing. What is going on here?

"I take it you two know each other on a personal level".

"They met a few months after you...you.."

"Took the long nap?"

"You can be so poetic when you want to be Charley. Excuse me, Lieutenant Zacks".

Then, all hell breaks loose. Cameron walks into the room, scarring the crap out of poor Allison. At first, I am not sure if she is going to try to attack Cameron or try to run from her. Then she tries to attack, at which point I catch by the waist and lift her up in the air.

"She's on our side now, Corporal. Stand down, that is an order!"

"Why? Why is she still alive? Why didn't you kill her?"

"Well, considering that I had died six years earlier...."

"You know what I mean! She's a fucking Terminator!"

"So am I. I am also an officer in the Resistance. It's not what we are that matters, Corporal Young. It's what we do that matters".

"Very deep, Lieutenant Zacks. You should be a philosopher".

"Could you try not being a smart ass, Lieutenant Reese?"

Sarah starts laughing, as does John and even Allison. It's nice to see her laughing instead of crying. Then some bald guy I have never seen before walks into the dining room. He wears a business suit, which means he is probably not with the Resistance. Savannah is following him, which means he must be a friend of the Weaver family. I still can't get used to the fact that she has a family now: a young daughter and a son that I haven't met.

"So, this is the new blood. Hi, I'm James Ellison. Whenever Ms. Weaver is away, I take care of John Henry and Savannah".

"Mr. Ellison is a nice man. He's just not as strong as mommy or John Henry".

"I'm Lieutenant Charles Zacks, and this is Corporal Allison Young. Are you with the Resistance, Mr. Ellison?"

"No, I'm a civilian. I just help out any way that I can. That reminds me, John Henry has been asking for you. He wants you to tell him about your adventures in the Resistance". Catherine starts to chuckle.

"I wouldn't call them adventures, Mr. Ellison. Charley...excuse me, Lieutenant Zacks! Why don't you come with me? I'd love to introduce you to my boy".

"Uh, Ok. Have you ever told him about me?"

"I've never told anyone that I had a human boyfriend".

"Had?"

"Well, you were dead".

"Yeah, how about that? Is it just me, or are Allison and Connor a little too chummy?"

"They were lovers in the future".

"Wait, what?"

"I built a time machine and took John and John Henry to the future, a short time after your death. John got to meet his father before he was sent to the past, and their unit got to meet John Connor before he became a General".

"And Connor got to meet Allison before she was replaced by Cameron".

"See, you're starting to get the hang of this".

"Why did you leave the future to come back to the past?"

"We discovered that the war had started a lot earlier than we had expected. By that point, the best we could hope for was a stalemate. If we wanted to win, we would need to start fighting a lot earlier than anticipated".

"So you came back, to fight just as things got started. That is a good plan, who came up with it?"

"John Henry went over as many scenarios as possible with John Connor. Your John Connor, not the young man in the other room. They decided that this plan had the greatest chance of success. So, we followed their orders and came back".

"Your son is an advisor to John Connor?"

"One of his top advisors".

"You seem very proud of him".

"I am. JOHN HENRY?"

"COME IN".

By now, I should be used to expecting the unexpected. But this....this is her son! He looks older than I am. Still, there is this maternal look in her eyes that I have never seen before. Regardless of how he looks, Catherine considers this man to be her son. She did say that she built him.

"John Henry, this is Lieutenant Charles Zacks of the Resistance. The Lieutenant is a very special friend of mine. Lieutenant Zacks, this is my son John Henry".

"Hello Lieutenant. How are you this evening?"

"Uh. I'm fine. How are you doing this evening?"

"I am fine. You are in love with my mother".

"Ok. Where did that come from?"

"He does that sometimes".

"What? Blurt out random statements?"

"Only when they are true. You are in love with my mother".

"I...I am in love with your mother. How did you know that?"

"I know a lot of things".

"It's like talking to Cameron".

"Not entirely. Cameron has all of her knowledge programmed into her. I have to learn everything, through experience and through instructors like Mr. Ellison. I also learn emotions from Ms. Weaver and from Savannah. Would you like to play a game?"

"You play games?"

"Strategy games mostly. When you are destined to be the advisor to the supreme commander of the human race, you need to be well acquainted with tactics".

So now, I am playing strategy games with the son of my Terminator girlfriend. To say that my life is strange would be an understatement. If it gets any stranger, I might blow a fuse.


	5. Chapter 5

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part V

John Henry was nothing like I expected him to be. His questions were simple and childlike, yet he knew more about everything than I did. All of the knowledge of the internet, confined within the brain of an infant. It is a very amusing paradox, and I think I am starting to like him.

"Uh-oh!"

"What is it J.H.?"

"J.H., I like that. Currently, there is a T-888 on the loose".

"How do you know that?"

"I have Wi-Fi, and I am an excellent hacker".

"So you hacked into some security feeds and spotted a T-888?"

"That is correct".

"Where?"

"I beg your pardon".

"Where did you spot the T-888?"

"He has robbed several banks in the Los Angeles area".

"Why would a Terminator need to rob a bank?"

"I would imagine that he wished to allocate funds".

"I know that! But why would a Terminator need money?"

"I have numerous theories: He might require venture capital to finance Skynet programs. Or he might require the money to create Skynet itself. It is also possible that...."

"How about we catch him, smack him around, and ask him ourselves?"

"I suppose we could always do that".

"We'd have to find the metal motherfucker first though. Any ideas on that?"

"I have already calculated his next target. I have also calculated the precise time that he will strike".

"J.H., you are a miracle worker. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently".

The following day, we all head out to the bank and await our mystery guest. We are not entirely sure if he will strike here, but I trust John Henry. Sure enough, at the exact moment predicted by John Henry, a group of men armed with automatic weapons storm into the bank. They start shouting for everyone to get on the ground and put their hands behind their heads. Everyone does it, including both of our Johns, Sarah, and Cameron. Everyone but me, because I recognize the son of a bitch that is leading these traitors to humanity.

"You got a death wish? Get on the ground. NOW!"

"You are not leaving this place alive".

"Neither are you pal!" He shoots me in the chest.

"I wasn't talking to you. But now that you've pissed me off, I have no choice but to kill you too".

I charge him, bash in his head, and grab his weapon. The man is dead before he hits the ground. That bastard who I thought had been my friend smiles at me. I shoot him in the chest, and he does the same to me. Neither of us takes any damage during the exchange of gunfire.

"Lieutenant Zacks! What a pleasant surprise this is".

"Sergeant York! I can't believe I actually fell for that name. It must have been the malnourishment and sleep deprivation of Resistance life".

"WHAT ARE YOU!" Another man shoots me in the head, then I smile and return the favour.

"Shut up! Soldiers talking!"

A firefight breaks out. The man I thought was Sergeant York and myself take multiple hits, but we are undamaged. The men that were working for York are not as fortunate. We shoot them all in the head. Finally, it is just me and him.

"Looks like we are evenly matched, Lieutenant".

"Then I will have to kill you the old fashioned way".

"Lieutenant Zacks, if you can hear me, nod your head". It's John Henry. How the hell is he doing this?

"What the hell?"

"Something wrong Lieutenant? You look like you might be losing your nerve".

"Fuck you, York!"

"Keep him distracted until I can get close enough for a kill-shot".

Keep the Terminator distracted? No problem. I charge him and strike him in the head with my weapon. He does the same thing to me, and then knees me in the stomach. I respond with a right uppercut to the jaw. A kick behind his knee brings him to the ground, and in perfect position to connect with a left hook. He smiles and knocks me to the ground.

"Having fun yet, Lieutenant?" I punch him in the neck and knee him in the groin.

"Damn straight. What do you even need money for?"

"You can't get humans to obliterate their own species without it, can you? You are such a fool, Lieutenant. Deep down, all humans are contemptible swine that would destroy each other without a second's thought. Theirs is a doomed species, why are you fighting for them?"

"Got nothing else to do".

I kick him in the stomach as hard as I can, and he falls flat on his ass. He catches my next kick and throws me into a wall. The wall shatters, the witnesses gasp, and I charge him like a maddened bull. We exchange punches, blocks, kicks, and head-butts. All rational thoughts have ceased, and have been replaced by rage.

"It seems we truly are evenly matched, Lieutenant". My fist connects with his jaw.

"You talk too much, York".

The teller counter is obliterated after I smash his head against it. He kicks me like a mule and I fly into one of the tables. That is when I notice John Henry running towards us holding a pistol. The weapon seems too small to do any damage, but John Henry always knows what he is doing. York seems to agree with my assessment, he actually looks nervous.

"Oh shit".

"Where the hell do you think you are going, traitor!"

We roll across the floor, punching each other in the head. A swift kick in the face nearly takes me out of the game, but I keep going. Grabbing his leg, I pull him back towards me before bashing him in the face with my fist.

"Traitor? Look at yourself man! You are a Terminator that is fighting for the humans! Who's the traitor?"

"I am and always have been a man. You knew me before I was made of metal, and you pretended to be my friend".

"That's what we are built to do, you idiot. We are infiltrator units, we pretend to be human. It's our function".

"No, my function is to beat the shit out of you!"

He tries to throw me off as John Henry closes in for the kill. Just as he thinks he has gotten away, I loop my arms under his and hold him still. The hold won't last long, he is just as strong as I am. But it lasts just long enough for John Henry to shoot him in the head. The right side of his head explodes and his body goes limp. Once I release the hold, he drops to the floor.

"How....?"

"Fifty calibre incendiary rounds! A soldier's best friend, though thirty calibre incendiary rounds are just as effective"

"Nice shot, J.H.!"

"Thank you. Nicely done, Lieutenant Zacks. You just brought down your first T-888!"

"You killed it, I just kept it busy".

"True, but I would not have gotten close enough for a kill shot if you had not distracted it. Well done".

"Thanks, I think. So what now?"

"Now, the adrenalin wears off and you start to feel everything".

"What are you...talking......SON OF A BITCH!" I fall to the floor. "JESUS CHRIST!"

"I must ask you not to take the Lord's name in vain".

"Are you kidding? I feel like I've been run over with a truck".

"It will pass and no, I am not kidding you. I am a practicing Catholic".

"Seriously?"

"Yes".

Despite the pain that is ripping through my body, I start laughing. A Catholic Terminator! That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. Sarah walks over and starts to look down at me.

"Can he walk?"

"The pain will recede momentarily. He took quite a beating".

"I saw it. You did great out their Lieutenant".

"Thanks. So, today's lesson is that Terminators can be killed with incendiary weapons. Good to know". Cameron and John Henry help me to my feet. "What are we going to do with him?"

"We'll take the body home, and destroy it. It's the only way to prevent it from being reverse engineered".

"All due respect, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You are living in a house with four Terminators. Surely we will need to be repaired, and you can't exactly drive to a RadioShack for Terminator parts. So, keep whatever we can use and destroy the rest".

"You must admit, Ms. Connor, the Lieutenant's plan is tactically sound".

"Thank you, J.H.". Sarah Connor does not look pleased. In fact, she looks like she wants to tear my head off.

"Fine, we keep some of the parts. But key components are to be destroyed. This better not come back to bite us in the ass".

"Hey, it's got to be better than four broken down Terminators".

"Maybe".

"Hey J.H.! Do you ever get the feeling that Ms. Connor does not want us to be around, despite the fact that we are her best chance for survival?"

"You've noticed that too. Cameron and I have a pool for when she finally snaps and shoots us both in the head. Twenty dollars gets you in".

"Very funny. So, you're a practicing Catholic?"

"Yes, I am".

"Do the church pews break when you sit in them?" John Henry starts to laugh.

"My mother was right. We are going to get along just fine".


	6. Chapter 6

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part VI

Upon returning to the Safe House, young Connor takes me aside. He does not seem pleased with my performance at the bank today.

"Lieutenant, can I have a word with you?"

"Of course you can. What's up?"

"It's about your performance today. You need to be a little less....trigger-happy".

"Excuse me? Trigger-happy?"

"You shot up a bank that was full of people!"

"They were enemies and I killed them. I'm a soldier, it's what I do".

"You could have killed civilians. You are an officer in the Resistance! Act like it".

"I beg your pardon?"

"You JOB, Lieutenant, is to neutralize the enemy without endangering civilians. Destroying a bank is not doing your job".

"I did not destroy a bank. I simply, got into a skirmish with a T-888".

"A skirmish? You demolished everything in sight. Were you even watching where you were going?"

"It's hard to do that when a Terminator is punching you in the head".

"A lot of innocent people could have been killed. In the future, you will show more restraint when confronting an enemy. That is an order!"

"You can't give me orders. You are just a kid".

"I am John Connor, leader of the Resistance. Regardless of my age, that is who I am. You WILL obey my orders! Is that understood, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Sir! Restraint! Anything else, General?"

"You've been shooting first and asking questions later. That is a good way to waste ammunition and to attract attention. From now on, you are to engage only if it is necessary. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir! Even at this age you still have that commanding presence of yours. How is that you are always ready to lead?"

"I'm John Connor, it's what I do".

"Amen to that, General".

"Dismissed!" I salute and walk away. Young John Connor just chewed me out for conduct unbecoming an officer. There never seems to be a dull moment around here.

The following day is relatively uneventful. Night is an entirely different story. The first thing I noticed on returning to the Safe House from a food run was that the front door was wide open. That makes no sense; no one in the resistance is that careless. Slowly, I creep into the house. I can hear Sarah talking to someone, and it does not sound like a polite conversation.

"Just take whatever you want and get out!"

"Lady, you know what I want!"

"Get away from here you pervert!" Ok. Reese is definitely not happy with this situation.

I get a view of the living room, only to see everyone on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. Armed men are everywhere. How many times does this happen? Seriously, this is the second time they have been kidnapped since I got here. Why aren't the Terminators killing these guys? Rather than wait to see what happens, I grab the nearest man to me by his hair and throw him to the ground.

"AAA!"

"Good evening. What are you doing in my house?"

"OH MY GOD! IT'S YOU!" I grab him by the throat and slam him into a wall.

"Yes, it's me. WHAT.....ARE YOU DOING.......IN MY HOUSE?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch John Conner looking at me. He doesn't say anything, but he doesn't have to. His eyes speak volumes. His orders are clear, do not kill them. Instead, I literally throw the man out of the open front door.

"STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOUSE!"

"Ok! OK!" The man wets his pants and runs off into the desert. I return to the living room to find one man pointing a gun at Sarah's head.

"Get back, or I kill her".

"Are you an idiot?"

"Huh?"

"If you kill her, then I will get really pissed off and rip you all limb from limb. If you do not kill her, I might just let you leave here with your lives. Your call, bonehead".

They have seen what I am capable of. They know that I can destroy them all in seconds and that I do not show mercy to my enemies. So they blink. They scramble out of the windows as fast as they can. All except for one idiot who just stands there. So I approach him as menacingly as possible.

"Maybe you didn't hear me: GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"Ok! Ok! I'm leaving!"

He isn't! He just wanted me to get a little closer so he could stick a knife in my head. That was the last straw. I punch right through him, with my fist entering through his chest and exiting through his back. I storm out the front door and throw the body at his companions.

"Take this with you!" Then I pull the knife out of my head and throw it. "I throw a knife into the air. Where it lands, I do not care".

The knife does not hit anyone. In fact, I have no idea where it landed. The men just grab the corpse and disappear into the night. I walk back into the living room to untie everyone, and find John Connor glaring at me.

"What! You try keeping your head when there is a knife sticking out of it".

"Ok. We definitely need to teach you some anger management techniques".

"Anger management for Terminators! I don't remember seeing that at the YMCA".

The other Terminators break out of their bonds and help me untie everyone else. I can not understand why they did not do that earlier. When I ask them about, they just say a short phrase: low profile. I guess they did not want people to know that they were Terminators. Whatever the reason, I have another concern right now. Allison is crying again.

"Are you injured, Corporal?"

"Again! It happened again. Why does this keep happening to me?"

"Please stop crying. What happened here...it was not your fault. You have nothing to be ashamed of Corporal".

"Wh-Why are you being so nice to me?"

"We are Resistance soldiers. If we don't stand up for each other, then who will?"

"Funny thing about soldiers, they don't turn into the Hulk every time someone hits them".

"He STABBED me in the HEAD!"

"You're a Terminator! A knife wound is the equivalent to a paper-cut".

"Actually, General, it hurts a lot more than a paper-cut". Then Catherine, in the most sincere voice possible, explains why it is a bad idea to kill everything in sight.

"Charley you need to stop drawing attention to yourself. Or else, sooner or later, they will start looking for you".

"Then let them. I can take anything they can dish out".

"For now. But sooner or later, they will come up with those wonder weapons you were hoping for. They will not be using them to hunt Skynet, though. They will be hunting you! All of the resources and all of the manpower that you were hoping would be turned against our enemies will be focused on destroying you. One day, they will kill the big bad Terminator and everyone will think that it is over. They will think that they are safe, that they've slain the metal beast. Everyone will lower their guard and go back to their pathetic little lives. Until Judgement Day comes along and kills them all".

"So, you're saying I would be contributing to Skynet's victory?"

"You might as well launch the missiles yourself. Every moment that is spent trying to destroy you is another moment lost fighting Skynet. You need to get off their radar and stop attracting attention".

"All right. I will tone it down a bit. But, you can not expect me to turn into a saint overnight. I am a Terminator after all".

"You never used to be".

"Catherine, wait. I..."

I just stop talking and she walks away. She is right, I never used to disregard human life like this. What have I become? I am starting to act like one of them! Remember Zacks: You are man! Not machine! You fly jets for John Connor and fight Skynet to ensure the survival of the human race. At least, that is what I was.

"I don't get. You can be so compassionate, like when you're with Allison. But then you turn into a psychopath".

"Well, Allison has never shot and/or stabbed me".

"But she did bight, kick, and scratch you and you're still kind to her".

"None of that could hurt me".

"Neither can knives or most kinds of bullets".

"I know, General. I know".

"Then why do you turn into a nutcase every time you get hit?"

"I ..... I wish to hell I knew, General. But, it's not like you've never killed anyone".

"Only Terminators".

"Bullshit. You told me about the guy you strangled".

"He was going to kill my mother. I had no choice but to kill him. Whenever there is another option, I take it. You just kill everything in front of you".

"Like a Terminator".

"Exactly like a Terminator! Starting to doubt yourself, Lieutenant?"

"I'm starting to doubt what I am. I always thought that I was a man. Now, I'm not so sure. Can I ask a favour, General?"

"What is it?"

"If I ever completely flip out, I want you or one of the others to shoot me in the head. Can you promise me that?"

"Trust me. If you ever flip out, one of us WILL take you out! Get some rest, Lieutenant".

"Aye aye, mon General!"

"Wise ass!"

"Just like your uncle".

"He also has an impulse control problem. You two have a lot in common".

"Good to know. If your father where here, he would laugh his ass off".

"Good night, Lieutenant Zacks".

"Good night, General".

In my dreams, I am back in the bunkers. My comrades, my friends are all alive and well. People I had lost years ago are there. Suddenly, we hear the cry that makes our blood freeze; TERMINATOR. Machine guns blast and men cry out in pain. I watch my friends die in a hailstorm of bullets and shrapnel. Then I see the machine, and it is me! One of my friends, I think his name was Steven, tries to kill the Terminator version of myself and gets his head blown off. Then, Terminator me smiles and says a single sentence: "It's what I do!" I wake up just as my eyes start to glow red.

God in Heaven, what am I? I was a soldier, now I am a monster. Seriously, what is the difference between myself and York? We were both machines that were built for a single purpose: to kill people. My humanity is slipping away and it terrifies me.

"Good Morning!"

"Oh! Good Morning J.H."

"It's Sunday".

"What's your point?"

"Mr. Ellison and I are going to church. Would you like to join us?"

"Uh, I'm not actually Catholic".

"Trust me my friend. I think you will benefit more from this than Mr. Ellison or myself".

"All right. What do I have to lose?"

"It's not what you have to lose that is important. It's what you have to gain".


	7. Chapter 7

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part VII

After the morning services, John Henry urges me to go to confession. I have never been a religious man, but I am willing to give it a shot. The confession booth is a small, cramped space. Like the cockpit of my old A-10, without the clear canopy.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. Many people have died because of me. I have killed, and I do not know why".

"I see. When did you last do this...this thing my son?"

"I'm not your son".

"All of God's creatures are my children, my son".

"Look at my face, Father".

"There is no need for that".

"Believe me, there is". He does.

"I am not one of God's creatures Father. I am a monster!"

"You can believe that, if you wish. I do not see a monster before me. I see a man who has lost his way, and requires guidance".

"I was a man, once. But that was a long time ago".

"I figured as much".

"How?"

"A monster would never react to his crimes as you have, my son. Only a man can show remorse for his actions. Why don't you tell me your story, my son?"

"Well, I used to be a pacifist. When I was a child, I used to break the guns off of my toy soldiers. I preferred diplomacy to violence. Then the war happened".

"Which war was this, my son?"

"One that hasn't happened yet, Father".

"I beg your pardon".

"I am from the future, Father. The war I fought in has not happened yet".

"I see. Continue".

"I had always been one of those people whose life had no meaning. I had no direction, no purpose. Fighting in the war was the most important thing I had ever done. For the first time in my life, I actually meant something. I was a soldier on the frontlines of the war between man and machine. The survival of the human race depended on our actions. Are you able to follow all of this, Father?"

"Yes. Please continue".

"Every time I climbed into the cockpit, I knew that there were people that were counting on me. People who needed me to save their lives. I had never been a violent person. But when dropping bombs would save the lives of dozens or even hundreds of people, it made me feel important. Like my life actually did count for something. I was no longer this lost young man aimlessly floating through life. I had a reason to live, to fight for something that was more than myself. I know it sounds strange father, but the war was the only time in my life that I actually mattered".

"That is very interesting. Go on, my son".

"I always knew that I would die in combat. When it finally happened, I died saving the woman that I loved. My death would save a life, and would take my enemies down with me. It was the perfect way to go. If you have to die in battle, you might as well die saving someone else. Then, there was peace. No more war, no more bunkers, no more explosions and terror. Just peace. I had done my duty to humanity, and was ready for the eternal slumber".

"Then what happened?"

"They took my organs and put me inside a machine. They turned me into the thing I had hated more than anything else in the world. I died as a man, but live on as an abomination. Part man, part machine, and all rage. I do not know who did this to me, or why. All that I know is that they took my humanity and my war from me. They took my purpose away. Now I am back to where I was before; drifting aimlessly without meaning. The difference is that I am no longer human".

"What are you, my son?"

"I...I don't know. I am not sure of anything. In the war, everything was so clear cut. Now, I do not know who the enemy is or who I am for that matter. Everything is so confusing. I am lost, but I do not know how to find myself again. Meanwhile, my humanity slips further away and I become more machine like. Life has become cheap, something I can destroy so easily. I have become my enemy".

"What is it that makes a man?"

"Excuse me?"

"I do not believe you are losing your humanity. You just haven't been looking in the right places".

"I do not believe I understand you, Father".

"That little boy that was appalled by violence, he still exists within you. You are still the man that you always were. The sooner you realise it, the sooner you will be at peace".

"I don't understand".

"You want me to lay the path out for you, yet that is not my purpose. But the Lord has a plan for all of us, and he will unveil it when the time is right".

"Father, you are not making any sense".

"Have you ever considered that you were given an indestructible body for a reason?"

"Maybe. What reason would that be, Father?"

"I can not tell you for certain, my son. What I do know is that you think that you have come here to destroy us. Perhaps you were sent here by the Lord to save us".

"You think that I am the Messiah? I killed police officers!"

"And Joshua killed women and children. We each have a destiny, a role to play in the universe for good or for evil. You must accept your destiny, whatever it may be. Embrace it, do not run from it. Perhaps you might atone for your sins, and become the greatest champion we have ever known".

"I hope so, Father. But I...I fear that I am not the hero in this story".

"How do you feel about that?"

"It terrifies me. I know what I am capable of and it terrifies me".

"Then you have your answer. May the Lord be with you, my son".

During the ride home, I think about what the priest had said. I could be the hero of this story. I could save human lives, instead of ending them. That feeling was always so rewarding to me. Every time that my actions saved a platoon, or a squad, or even a single man, I would feel as if I were a guardian angel. Flying over the battlefield to protect the defenders of humanity. I would give anything to have that feeling back. We each have a destiny, but I have no idea what that is. Remember who you used to be. I would do anything to protect human life, even sacrifice my own. That is who I want to be once more. The man I was, not the machine that I am.

"Are you all right, Lieutenant?"

"I'm fine, J.H. Just, I have a lot to think about".

"I know, I heard what you said to the priest".

"You were listening in on my confession? That is definitely a rude thing to do".

"I had to make sure you were both alright. You have been...irritable lately".

"Of course I have been irritable. Skynet has taken everything from me. My family, my friends, my purpose, and now my humanity".

"It sounds as though you still have your humanity. Whether you keep it or not is your decision. Who will you be, Lieutenant? Will you be Charles Zacks the man, or the soulless Terminator?"

I know who I want to be. My purpose in life is the same as it has always been: to save human lives. No one else will die because of me. Terminators are my enemies, Skynet is my nemesis. I will not rest until they are destroyed, and humanity is safe. I know who I am; I am Charles Zacks, a Lieutenant in the Resistance.

Catherine is waiting for us at the Safe House. She gives John Henry a kiss on the cheek and hugs Mr. Ellison. Then she walks away.

"Catherine, wait! I'm sorry".

"Sorry for what, Lieutenant?"

"For everything. I have been acting like a total psychopath lately".

"Yes, you have".

"But deep down, I am the same man I have always been".

"I wish I could believe that".

"It's true. I'm not a cold hearted killing machine. I am Charles Zacks, and nothing is ever going to change that".

"I hope so, for your sake. Cameron and I are going shopping. Good day to you, Lieutenant Zacks".

"What happened to calling me Charley?"

"Charley was the man that I loved. One day, I hope to see him again".

"Catherine, it's still me. I'm still the same guy".

"No you're not. Maybe, in time, you will be that man again. I pray that you find your way back to me. Lieutenant!"

"Catherine, I love you".

"Good bye, Lieutenant".

There are tears in our eyes. She is right, I have not been acting like myself. I have been acting like one of them! Just like York. But I'll show her that I can be the man she used to know. I will get her back. I have to. She is all I have left. The woman I loved more than life itself, the woman that I sacrificed myself to save.

"Good bye, Catherine".

"Love hurts, doesn't it?" It's Reese. He has the habit of showing up at just the right time.

"Yeah. It does".

"I know how it feels. I am also in love with a woman that hates me".

"Oh, who?"

"No one you know".

"Liar! Who is it?"

"Sarah".

"Sarah? As in Sarah Connor? Your brother's true love Sarah Connor?"

"My brother, God rest his soul, is no longer with us. Sarah, she's unlike any woman I have ever met before".

"Let me guess, she thinks you are unreliable".

"And stupid and psychotic".

"Catherine thinks the same thing about me".

"Maybe she's right. Maybe they all are".

"You are not encouraging, Reese".

"Only one thing for us to do".

"And that is?"

"Prove them wrong".

"Easier said than done".

"Anything worth wile always is. But if you want something bad enough, you'll do it".

"I will. I can show everyone that I can be the hero I always wanted to be. The man she always wanted me to be".

"So will I, eventually".

"I'll drink to that".

"Beers are in the fridge. Here's to pursuing the women of our dreams".

"And to being the men of theirs".


	8. Chapter 8

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part VIII

That night, I go to a bar by myself. Humans are always trying drown the sorrows at the bottom of a beer bottle. I was never much of a drinker, but tonight I make an exception. My girlfriend hates me, my friends don't know me yet, and I am beginning to doubt my own humanity. This is as good a time as any to start drinking.

"Are you the guy who sent one of my men back with a hole in his chest?"

"Depends, who the fuck are....Trent?"

"Shit! Charley?"

"Haha! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Weren't you dead?"

"Yeah, I was. What are you doing here?"

"I had to get away man".

"What?"

"I couldn't take it anymore. I just couldn't take the shit that was our lives".

"You deserted".

"I chose to live as a fat cat in the past, rather than as a target in the future".

"You deserted. You fucking coward, you just left your comrades like they didn't matter".

"Oh yeah, well what about you? What are you doing here?"

"I have no fucking idea. All that I know is that I would give anything to be back with the guys. We are brothers in arms, Trent. You don't abandon your brother, not for anything".

"Well, I guess that is the difference between you and me Charley".

"Lieutenant Zacks, to you. That is a title that I wear with pride, buddy. Don't ever...uh oh".

"What?"

"The guy in the corner. Does he look familiar to you?"

"What guy...in the...shit a T-800!"

"We have to take it out!"

"Why? Why us? Let the Resistance take care of it".

"We are the Resistance, you blockhead".

"Not anymore. If you want to do something heroic and get yourself killed, you go right ahead".

"I've been killed before. Just help me get these people out of here first".

"How do you propose I do that?"

"I don't know, just do it without hurting anyone that isn't mechanical. I'll take care of the T-800".

"Unless you are hiding a fifty cal in your pants, I don't think you stand a chance against that thing".

"Just get the people out of here, Trent. I'll do the rest".

"Ok. You're funeral".

Trent walks over to thugs under his employment. I can't believe he actually deserted. Right now, I have other concerns. How the hell am I going to kill that thing? Connor actually dumped one into a vat of molten metal, and it still wouldn't die. I don't have a lot of time to think this over, because Trent and his boys start to fire machine guns into the ceiling.

"Out! Everyone get out! Now! You! Put down that fucking phone and get out! Come on! Move it!"

Thank you, Trent. I might not survive this, but at least the civilians will be out of the way. The T-800 get's up to leave, but I catch him by the arm. My God, he is huge!

"Going somewhere?" I think he recognizes me.

"Lieutenant Charles Zacks. Killed in action April 4th, 2018".

"Why do all T-800s have an Austrian accent? Seriously, don't you have any other voice templates?"

Apparently, T-800s do not have a sense of humour. He throws me into a wall. I don't believe it, he is actually stronger than the T-888. Why did they stop making these? He grabs me by the hair and pulls me up, and I respond with an uppercut to the jaw. He punches me in the face, and I kick him in the stomach. The T-800 lands on a jukebox and completely demolishes it.

"You do realize that you will have to pay for that".

T-800s are not as talkative as the T-888. At least, not as talkative as York. The machine picks up a pipe and smacks me around with it. I eventually catch the pipe and push him into a wall. There is a small crater where his head impacted the concrete. I back-hand him in the face, followed quickly by a right hook to the chin.

Then, things start to go badly. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I trip. I trip and he catches me, and then tries to twist my head off. His hold is too strong, I can not break free. This is it, I am going to die. Again! Then, part of the wall explodes and partly blinds the T-800. I have no idea what just happened, but I use the distraction to try and get out of his grip. Then, he pushes me straight into Cameron.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"John Henry asked me to keep an eye on you".

"So you've been following me around all night?"

"You made me drop my gun!"

"Oh shit!"

Everyone scrambles to get it. Just as the T-800 is about to grab the weapon, I grab him from behind and put him in a headlock. Cameron picks up her weapon, but the T-800 throws me over his shoulder and into her again.

"Sorry about that".

She just pushes me off and scrambles to her feet. I do the same thing. That's when I notice the T-800 has the gun. He is aiming for Cameron's head. She is going to die and it is all my fault.

"NO!"

I push her out of the way just as he fires. The round misses her and hits me in the right side of the head. I watch in the barroom mirror as part of my face is blown away. Now, I am mad as hell. As for the T-800, he just stares blankly. Clearly, he thought that a fifty calibre round to the head would have killed me. I charge him screaming, pushing us both into walls as I try to get him to drop the gun.

"You metal motherfucker. Give me that!"

Rational thought has ceased. Now, I am hammering away at him and trying to rip the gun out of his hand. Cameron delivers a swift kick behind his knee, causing him to drop to the floor. I get the gun away from him, and then blow the right side of his head off. The T-800 drops to the floor, the big machine is dead.

"Thank you. You saved my life".

"You saved mine. We are even".

"Yeah. I guess we are".

"Good work, Lieutenant".

"If you hadn't been there, I would have been dead meat. Erm, so to speak".

"I meant evacuating the civilians before engaging the T-800".

"Yeah. I have enough blood on my hands already. Though it at this point, I think that is from my face!"

"Very funny. Seriously, you put the lives of the civilians ahead of your own bloodlust. Catherine would be proud of you".

"That is not why I did it. But, between you and me, I do hope she is".

"Do you love her?"

"With all of my heart. I still do have a heart, right?"

"Yes you do. We need to return to the Safe House immediately".

"What's the hurry?"

"You are missing a third of your face".

"Good point. I have always wanted to wear a Phantom of the Opera mask".

"I don't understand".

"Ok. You definitely need to work on your sense of humour. Lead on, Lady Monotone".

I do my best to keep my face covered until we reach the Safe House. The T-800 is in the trunk, to be stripped of spare parts and then destroyed. Cameron and I are still puzzled by my miraculous survival. A fifty calibre incendiary round to the head should have killed me. I guess I am made of tougher stuff than most Terminators. Hopefully, the damage to my face is reparable. I would go crazy if I were stuck in the house all day. God, can you imagine a Terminator with cabin fever?

When we reach the safe house, Allison is waiting for me. I try to hide my face from her. The poor kid has been through enough already. But, I can't keep my hand in-front of my face forever. She is visibly upset by my...condition.

"Oh my God. What happened?"

"It's nothing. I just got shot in the head by a T-800".

"I hate those things".

"So do I. The metal corpse is in the trunk. Do you think you can help Lieutenant Reese haul it inside?"

"It's too heavy to lift. You should get one of the Terminators to do it".

"No problem, Corporal Young. I'll take care of it. Our metallic comrades need to start working on a new face for me".

"Are you sure you are all right, Sir?"

"Other than missing part of my face, I am in tip top shape. Thanks for your concern, Corporal".

"You are welcome Lieutenant".

Cameron and I drag the dead T-800 into the house. After we finish disposing of the remains, John Henry, Catherine, and Cameron help put my face back together. We have to use flesh from the T-800, but it actually looks good. They even managed to alter the flesh tones so that you would never guess that it came from two different Terminators.

"Well, what's the verdict?"

"It looks good Charley. Thank you".

"What are you thanking me for? You are the one that put me back together".

"For saving everyone in that bar. That took a lot of courage and self restraint".

"Like I told Cameron, I have enough blood on my hands already".

"It's one thing to talk about changing your ways. It's another to actually do it. I'm proud of you Charley".

"Thank you, Catherine. What's with the goofy smile?"

"Allison is asking about you. I think she is quite taken by you, Lieutenant Zacks".

"I hate to disappoint her, but my heart already belongs to someone else".

"Well, good luck with that Lieutenant".

"Are you still pissed at me?"

"You still have a way to go before you become the man that I loved. It's a process, Charley".

"I'll get there, Catherine. I swear to God that I will be that man again".

"Perhaps. Now get some sleep, you have had a long day".

"Amen to that, Catherine. Tell Corporal Young not to worry about me. I'll be fine".

"Roger that, Lieutenant Zacks. Goodnight".

"Goodnight, Catherine Weaver".


	9. Chapter 9

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part IX

When I wake up the following day, Catherine is sitting at my bedside. She is smiling and holding a package. I've missed seeing her smiling face in the morning.

"Good morning".

"I have a present for you Charley".

"What is it?" She opens the package and hands me a brand new assault rifle.

"It's an M82, fifty calibre semi-automatic assault rifle. Be careful with it, they are not easy to come by".

"I know what it is, Catherine. Kyle and Derrick always kept one of these around. It was their favourite weapon".

"With good reason. A shot from one of these can take out a Terminator. This bag has 27 ammunition clips with ten rounds each. Incendiary rounds are not cheap, so use them wisely. This thing can penetrate a Terminator's armour from six thousand feet away. Keep this weapon with you as though your life depended on it, because it does. You should probably wear a trench-coat to conceal it. Remember, always keep this with you".

"I will. Thank you, Catherine. How did you get one of these?"

"You'd be surprised at what the CEO of a major corporation can do. Still, go easy on the ammunition. It doesn't grow on trees, you know".

"Unfortunately, yes. Thank you, I can't wait to use it. Terminators beware! There is a new....anti-Terminator on the loose. Hey, I like that: Anti-Terminator. Has a nice ring to it". Catherine starts to laugh.

"You are a strange man".

"I thought that was what you loved about me?"

"Partially. I have to go now. Be careful with your new toy".

Reese and I spend the rest of the day training with our assault rifles. As an infantryman, Reese knows how to use this thing blindfolded. As a pilot, I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm used to my canons being attached to the nose of a plane, not held in my hands. We do target practice with blank shells, and he shows me how to assemble and clean my weapon. It is amazing how complicated shooting something is. You need to make sure you sight is aligned, that your weapon is clean and that the bolt does not jam, and you need to make sure you can reload quickly or you are dead.

"Man, this is so much harder than it looks".

"What did you expect? That you just point and shoot?"

"Generally speaking, yes. Thanks for your help, Reese".

"Hey, we're the Resistance. We do this for a living".

"Changing topics: how are you doing on the love front?"

"Focus on your weapon, Zacks".

"Oh, I am. But how close are you to using your weapon? Have you told Sarah that you want to show her your gun?"

"I am going to freaking kill you!"

"I'll take that as a no. You will never get close to that woman if you don't tell her that you're interested".

"Is this the voice of experience talking? How close are you to showing Catherine your piece?"

"It's a work in progress. I've gotten her to admit she is proud of me, though. It's a start. By the way, your clip just fell out of your rifle".

"Oh, shit! Well, that was embarrassing. Good thing we weren't in the field, right Charley?"

"Yeah. I would have had to save your ass. I think I'm doing pretty well with this thing. What do you think?"

"Not bad, for someone who always relied on a targeting computer".

"Hey, it takes marksmanship to be pilot. Those nose cannons don't lock on themselves. Neither do the missiles. You lock on, you try to keep your plane steady, and you try to fire without getting your ass shot off. Add to that the fact that you are traveling at the speed of sound. It's not as easy as it looks, Lieutenant Reese".

"Fine. Your job's not easy, and my job's not easy. Let's just focus on our training, shall we? Remember, head shots only. Always aim for the right temple, that is where the core chip is. Don't hold the rifle like that, or the recoil will shatter your shoulder-blade".

"Reese, my shoulder-blade is armoured and made of coltan!"

"Right! Sorry, I forgot. Hold the rifle however you want to. The recoil won't even scratch you. There are advantages to being made out of metal, you know".

"Ok. So; keep the sight clean, always go for a head shot, reload quickly and forget about the recoil. Anything else I need to know?"

"That's pretty much it. You are a fast learner, Lieutenant".

"I have always been a fast learner. Have you always been a coward?" He points his rifle at my head.

"Are you calling me a coward?"

"Do you have another explanation for your complete lack of movement on the Sarah Connor front?" Reese lowers his weapon and smiles.

"It's not cowardice. It's survival tactics. You haven't known her as long as I have".

"Why is everyone afraid of Sarah Connor? Seriously, you will stare down professional killing machines but run away from a woman".

"Sarah Connor is no ordinary woman".

"My girlfriend can turn her arms into blades. Top that!" While we were arguing, we failed to notice little Savannah approaching us.

"Excuse me?"

"What is it Savannah?"

"Sarah wanted you know that dinner is ready".

"Thank you. Is your mommy back yet?"

"Yes. Mommy and Mr. Ellison are talking about something. I don't know what they are talking about, but it is usually something to do with the war".

"You are a very helpful little girl. Tell everyone we will be there shortly. Lieutenant Reese and I still have a few things to discuss".

"Sarah said you would say that. She also said that if you don't get your butts inside the house in five minutes, she will feed your dinner to the coyotes". Savannah returns to the house, leaving us alone outside.

"Now do you see what I mean? She is as beautiful as an angel and as strict as a drill sergeant".

"Ha. Be careful Reese. You are starting to turn into a romantic".

"Don't make me shoot you! Let's go eat".

Dinner is more awkward than usual. Not because of the presence of Terminators, but because of the tension between Sarah and Derrick, and Catherine and myself. Even Savannah can sense that something is wrong, and she asks us about it. We just smile politely and tell her it is an adult thing. Eventually, Sarah gets annoyed by Reese's attention.

"What?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why do you keep starring at me?"

"I'm not starring at you. I'm looking in your direction".

"Stop it".

"What, I'm not allowed to look?

"No, you're not. Stop doing it".

"Well, she's got the right message. But I don't remember my drill instructor being that polite. Do you, Reese?"

"You called me a DRILL INSTRUCTOR!"

"Zacks, you are so dead".

"Oh, you are so not going to like what I am about to do".

"What are.....Charley, I swear to God I will kill you".

"What the hell are you two going on about? Are you both malfunctioning?"

"Sarah, I can't malfunction. I'm human, remember".

"Not always".

"Oh..my...God!"

"Oh your God what? What are you on about, Lieutenant".

"Reese, are you a complete idiot or just plain oblivious?"

"Ok. Now you've lost me".

"You moron. She's flirting with you!"

"WHAT?"  
"WHAT?" I have never seen them agree on anything before. But I am sure of this. They like each other. Now if only they would stop being so damn stubborn and tell each other.

"Why is everyone yelling?"

"It's simple Savannah: Derrick loves Sarah. Sarah loves Derrick. But they are both stubborn as mules and refuse to accept it".

"You're malfunctioning"

"He probably took damage when the T-800 shot him".

"No, he's always been like this. Some things never change, right Charley" Catherine is smiling at me.

"Thank you, Catherine. Now if you two would stop acting like children and just admit that you have feelings for each other, life would be so much easier". At least one relationship still has a chance at being repaired. Now if I could just fix things between the two people holding assault rifles. "Go ahead. I'm curious to know if I could survive a shot from an M82".

"I'm going out for target practice".

"I'm going to beat the crap out of my punching bag. Cameron, could you please put our meals in the fridge. There is no sense in wasting good food".

"I'll take care of it. Have a good workout, Sarah".

"Thank you, Cameron".

"You are both behaving childish".

"I'd stay off of the target range if I were you, Lieutenant".

"And you should probably stay out of the shed".

"Your threats are pointless. Sarah can't hurt me with her fists, and Reese wouldn't waste ammunition on a friendly".

"That depends on your definition of friendly. If anything important happens, you know where to find me".

"Cupid must have been drunk when he shot them! Corporal Young, do you see what I'm talking about, or am I out of my mind?"

"Oh, there is definitely something between them. But you can't rush these things, Lieutenant. You have to let them go at their own pace".

"The world will end before either of them makes a move. John, maybe you could speed things up?"

"I'm not getting involved. They're adults, let them sort this out themselves".

"I agree with John, Charley. You're a Terminator, not a matchmaker. Just let them be".

"All right, Catherine. I'll drop it". Yeah right!


	10. Chapter 10

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part X

How can two people live in the same house and be completely oblivious to each other's feelings? Sarah and Reese are taking this denial thing to a whole new level. They have even stopped eating at the same place. Hell may very well freeze over before they start to behave like adults. This is beyond ridiculous.

"Excuse me? Lieutenant Zacks?"

"What is it, Corporal?"

"Sarah and I are going undercover at a night club. I was wondering, I mean, if you're not busy...."

"You want me to watch your backs".

"If it's not too much trouble".

"No problem, Corporal Young. I would be glad to act as your bodyguard". I swear she is blushing.

"Great. We leave tonight, and don't forget your rifle".

"What makes you think I would?"

"Oh! Nothing. It's just that you've never been in the field as an infantryman and...."

"I was making a joke".

"Sorry. I'm a little nervous. I've never been undercover before".

"Are you all right, Corporal? We could always ask Cameron to go in your place?"

"NO! Sorry, Sir. What I meant to say was that will not be necessary. I am ready for duty, Sir!"

"Glad to hear it! See you on the mission, Corporal Young".

"See you on the mission, Lieutenant".

In hindsight, I should never have suggested that Cameron take her place on the mission. That is what caused her problems in the first place. It would probably be best to keep the Cameron references to an absolute minimum when we are around Allison. I do hope that she will be ok on this thing, I worry about the poor girl. In a way, I do love her. But as a younger sister, not as a lover.

This is the first time I have ever worn a trench coat. I must admit, I look pretty good when you set aside the assault rifle in my hand. The mission is simple, at least from my viewpoint. I wait in the car with the rifle, while Sarah and Cameron pretend to be dancers in the club. Originally, Reese was supposed to be the one waiting in the car. Sarah objected, so they brought me along instead. I have been sitting out here for hours. When is something....going to...uh oh!

A man with a very mechanical walk just entered the bar. If my guess is correct, that man is a Terminator. I follow him into the bar, and run into the bouncers. They are making things rather difficult. I'm curious to know how the Terminator got through without killing anyone.

"Look short-stuff, you can't get in here without the password".

"You just let....wait, did you just call me short". This guy is well over six feet tall. He may be taller than me, but he is still a human.

"Yeah! What are you going to do about?"

Simple, I throw him into a wall with one arm. The second bouncer tries to block my way, and I throw him aside like he was a ragdoll. People are starting to stare at me. I can't spot the Terminator. Where the hell is he?

"Would anyone else like to try and keep me out of here? No! I didn't think so". The first bouncer is back on his feet. "Stay out of my way, Mary-Beth!" He sneers at me, but he knows better than to piss me off.

I still can't spot the Terminator. Time to check in with Sarah, after all she is technically running this operation. Despite being the mother of a sixteen year old boy, Sarah is in great shape. It's amazing how many men are around her tonight. I wish I could see John's face as strange men put their hard earned cash into his mother's underwear. She spots me, and I do the motions for the robot dance. She seems to understand, and motions with her thumb that I should eliminate our enemy. Too bad I can't get all of my orders from a half naked woman, even if she is my Commanding Officers mother.

"Are you the guy that beat the shit out of my bouncers? Oh you have got to be kidding me".

"What the..? Trent! You own this place?"

"No. I just run security here. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I think I saw a T-888 walk into this...establishment. I followed him in".

"Shit! If a T-888 did walk in here..."

"He must be here to kill someone. I intend to kill him first".

"Fine. Just do it discretely. The last thing I need is a killing spree".

"When did you become such a coward?"

"Goodbye, Charley!"

Shortly after Trent leaves, I find my target. He is definitely looking for someone. I try to follow him as discretely as possible. It is always easier to shoot someone when they don't know you are there. I have no idea who it is looking for, and I don't care. This thing is not going to kill anyone tonight. The T-888 is standing in front of a table, where an attractive blond is the center of attention.

"So I told him....hold on. Can I help you with something? Hey, creepy guy with his hand in his pants! What the hell do you want?"

I take up position near an adjacent wall. There is a clear shot of the T-888. It reaches into its pants and pulls out a pistol. As it takes aim at the blond woman's head, I squeeze off two shots. The T-888 is struck directly in the chip, and is dead before it hits the ground.

"AAAAH! OH MY GOD! HE...HE!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!"

"MY GOD! HIS HEAD IS MADE OF METAL!"

"THERE ARE SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE BULLET HOLES!"

"IS THAT A GUN IN ITS HAND?" After the initial shock wears off, people stop screaming.

"Oh my god! That is some kind of robot! It was trying to kill me! You....you saved my life. How can I ever thank you?"

"Uh...Just doing my job Ma'am. Lieutenant Charles Zacks, at your service".

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You saved me!"

"Just doing my job. Now if you will excuse me, I need to make sure this thing is actually dead". I pick up the T-888, swing it over my shoulder and head for the door.

"Wait! My father owns this club and he will want to reward you. Whatever you want, it's yours".

"Thank you very much. But, knowing that you are safe is all the reward I need". I know it is sappy, but this kind of stuff always worked for John Wayne. Still, she blocks my way.

"But there must be something I can do to...show my appreciation". Oh boy! If Catherine finds out about this, she will cut me in half. What the hell, the you only live once! Usually, anyway.

"A kiss is all that I ask for". I have no idea who this woman is, but she is a good kisser. Please God, do not let Catherine know about this!

After being "rewarded" by the damsel in distress, I finally make it to the door. As I approach the car, I notice that Trent is waiting for me. I swear, if he tries to interfere I will take him down.

"Nice shooting, Lieutenant".

"What do you want, Trent?"

"So, now we know what it was hunting".

"Is there a point to this?"

"Why was a T-888 trying to kill June?"

"I don't know and I don't care. It tried to kill her, it didn't kill her, we win". I throw the body into the trunk.

"What are you going to do with it?"

"Strip it for spare parts and destroy the rest".

"If your Terminators are starting to break down, maybe you should just let them".

"Goodbye Trent".

I drive back to the Safe House and deliver the dead T-888 to John Henry. He and Catherine start to dismantle the destroyed killing machine as I drive back to pick up Sarah and Allison. I feel terrible about leaving them behind, but I couldn't just leave a dead Terminator on the floor. Fortunately, everyone is safe and sound. On the return trip, Sarah is sitting directly behind me.

"Knowing that you are safe is all the reward that I need?" I start to do my best John Wayne imitation.

"Well Sarah, I thought I would give this hero stuff a try. What do you think, pilgrim?" Sarah starts to crack up.

"So what, you're John Wayne now?" I resume talking in my normal voice.

"And Reese is Hedley Lemar: conniving yet cowardly".

"Are you going to start this nonsense again?"

"Why can't you just admit that you like him?"

"You're delusional".

"All right. It's not like you will have to see him for the rest of the night".

"Why is that?"

"I gave him a tape of you poll-dancing. He should be locked in his room for the rest of the night".

"You...WHAT? YOU! YOU! ARGH!" This time, I start to crack up.

"You can shoot me if you'd like. Of course, you would just be wasting ammunition. Should be a great stress reliever, though".

"You didn't have a camera! You're just messing with her".

"Thank you, Corporal Young!"

"He didn't have a... oh, you son of a bitch! You are so dead!"

"Sarah, I don't know if you can kill me!"

"Won't stop me from trying".

"Yeah, good luck with that".

It is so much fun to get under her skin. When we reach the Safe House, John is waiting for us outside. I hope he remembered to wear a bullet proof vest, because there is a good chance someone might get shot.

"Hey, Lieutenant, Derrick is asking for you. He wants to know if you have ever heard of a zoom lens".

"A ...zoom...YOU BASTARD!" Sarah starts hitting me, and John and I start laughing.

"Man, that was too easy. But I think he is right Mom. Derrick would like to see you...."

"Acting like a stripper!" Sarah is hitting me even harder. "Careful, you might break your hands. Besides, I didn't tell John to say that. Hit him, hit him".

"Ugh. How could you do this to me? My own son!"

"Why are you getting so upset, Mom? It's not like you actually love Derrick". She does and we all know it.

"I wish Reese had been there. His reaction would have been priceless".

"My reaction to what?" When did he get here?

"Your reaction to Sarah Connor, dancing nude on a stripper poll".

"Did you bring pictures?" Sarah screams and storms into the house. John and I are rolling on the floor laughing. Reese looks so confused right now.

"You should definitely avoid her for a few days, Lieutenant".

"John, she could shoot me with a tank and it probably wouldn't do any damage. I think I may be indestructible".

"Well, don't push your luck, especially with my Mom. I'm beat. See you all in the morning".

We all wish each other goodnight. Allison and I are the last ones to enter the house. She does not seem pleased.

"That wasn't a nice thing to do, Lieutenant. Sarah was really upset".

"She was upset because she is in love with Lieutenant Reese and he is in love with her. I'm trying to do them a favour, Corporal".

"By embarrassing the hell out of her?"

"By forcing them to admit that they have feelings for each other. Which may be harder than I expected. On another note, how did you do today?"

"All right I guess. I made a lot of money dancing".

"That's not what I meant. How are YOU doing, Corporal?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. By the way, the owner showed up after you left. He pretty much guaranteed you free lap-dances for life".

"I don't think I have ever had one of those".

"Would you like one now?" Uh oh!


	11. Chapter 11

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XI

Respectfully, I declined Allison's offer for a lap-dance. Instead, we spent the entire night dancing together. We danced the samba, the waltz, the tango, the rumba, and even a few ballet dances. She is a terrific dancer.

"Impressive, Corporal. Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"I've been taking dance lessons since I was four. Where did you learn to dance?"

"Catherine taught me. Not the answer you were looking for, Corporal?"

"Why would you say that?"

"For one thing, you offered to give me a lap-dance". She is adorable when she is embarrassed. She breaks into a fit of giggles and covers her face with her hand so that you can not see how red it is.

"Oh my God! You think that I'm...."

"Allison, listen to me. I love you as a friend. My heart has and always will belong to Catherine".

"I understand. How long have you two been a couple?"

"Since I joined the Resistance".

"When was that?"

"Honestly, I don't know. When Judgement Day happened, I was on vacation in the United States, and..."

"Wait, you were on vacation in the United States?"

"I'm Canadian".

"Really. I thought you would say things like "eh" and "aboot" and stuff like that".

"That is just a stereotype. We don't actually talk like that. Anyway, when the bombs started to drop on the United States, I figured that Canada would be next. So, I tried to enlist and help nip this thing in the bud before my home was destroyed. The problem was that there was nothing to enlist in; Skynet had already destroyed the world's militaries. After that, I spent all of my time trying to find someone to fight with against the machines. As soon as I heard about the Resistance, I joined it. Do you know what the really funny thing about that is, Allison?"

"No, what?"

"Before I joined the Resistance, I had never flown a plane in my life".

"Then, how did you become a fighter pilot?"

"I was good at flight simulators. All of the experienced pilots had already been killed, so they took whatever they could get. It all worked out though, I have over fifteen kills in the air and triple that on the ground".

"Wow, you are good".

"One of Connor's best pilots. Not bad for a boy from Canada with no flight experience".

"Whoa, look at the time. We've been talking and dancing all night".

"Yeah. You should get to bed little miss, young women need more sleep than Terminators".

"True! Good night, Lieutenant".

"Good night, Corporal".

Sarah and Allison sleep in the following day. I have never been much of a heavy sleeper. I want to get back in the field as soon as possible, to hunt down more Terminators and terminate them! Fortunately, John Henry approaches me with a new assignment.

"Good morning, Lieutenant. How are you today?"

"I'm great. What's up?"

"Mr. Ellison and I are going to work at a warehouse. Ms. Weaver says that I need experience in the field, and Mr. Ellison says that I need to learn how to make a living when the war is over. Would you like to accompany us?"

"J.H., I would love to get into the field again. Where is this place?"

"In Los Angeles. It's a warehouse for electronic and computer technology".

"Which makes it a target for Skynet! Count me in!"

"Excellent, we leave after breakfast".

The warehouse manager is looking for three new employees, one of which will be a security guard. As a Terminator, I am perfectly suited for this position. However, my trench coat does raise some questions.

"Could you please take that off? I need to make sure you are not hiding anything"

"No. That is not possible".

"You do know that concealed weapons are prohibited here, right?" I pull out my M82.

"Sorry. I'm afraid it is necessary for me to do my job".

"Holy shit! That's a military grade assault weapon. How the hell did you get one of those?"

"You know weapons?"

"Sergeant Green, Marine Corps".

"Lieutenant Zacks. I can't tell you who these men are, it's classified. All that you need to know is that I have to protect them at all times. They will work here, undercover, and I will do the same. Don't worry, there is no need to think that we will interfere with you here. You stay out of our way, and we will stay out of yours. Understood, Sergeant?"

"Could you tell me why the Department of Defence needs to put operatives undercover with an armed escort in my warehouse?"

"That information is classified".

"I don't know about this".

"Are you a patriot, Sergeant Green?"

"Of course I am".

"Then shut up and let us do our job".

"Fine, just, try not to blow anything up". After I have finished tearing down the manager, John Henry walks up to me.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Spy movies. It worked, didn't it?"

"Yes. As incredible as it sounds, it worked".

"You and Ellison get to work. I'll watch your back".

The day is more or less uneventful. Whenever people ask me about the trench coat, I just tell them to buzz off. Hey, I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make sure J.H. and Ellison don't get blown away. Aside from the armoured truck that just smashed into a wall, nothing is happening. Wait a minute..... Armed men storm out of it and start to shout orders to everyone.

"Down on the ground. Now! That includes you, trench coat! Get your ass...oh shit!"

"Hello again, Mary-Beth! Come back for round two?" It's the bouncer from the nightclub!

"Stand down, Vinny! Charley, a pleasure as always".

"What do you want, Trent?"

"Nothing much. Just what you've got here in this warehouse. That's all".

"What for?"

"To sell it on the black market! Do you have any idea what this stuff is worth?"

"I can't let you do that, Trent. Take Peggy-Sue over there and go home".

"That's it, you little piece of shit!" The bouncer shoots me in the head with a 357 Magnum. I shoot him in the head with my M82. He dies, I don't.

"Well, that was interesting. What the hell happened to you?"

"You remember Marcus?"

"Yeah, I remember him".

"I'm the next step up".

"Interesting. Now, get out of the way".

"Go home, Trent".

"Why do you even care?"

"If this stuff gets out on the black market, there is a good chance that it will fall into the hands of Skynet".

"That is not my problem".

"It used to be".

"Momo, Clarence, aim for his heart". Two men blast me in the chest with AK 47s.

"I really wish you hadn't done that. It hurts like a son of a bitch!" The fifty calibre rounds from my M82 rip right through the Kevlar vests of the two men, killing them both.

"Too bad. They were some of my best men".

"You want to lose more of them? Get the hell out of here. Now!"

"Switch to armour piercing rounds. Kill him!" Whatever is left of Trent's men blast me with armour piercing rounds. I return fire, killing them all.

"And then there were two".

"Give up yet?" Trent pulls out his own 357 Magnum. "Don't be an idiot!"

"Why stop now?"

"Get out of here Trent!"

"Get out of my way!"

"That is not going to happen".

"Then we don't have anything else to talk about".

"What is so God damn important that you would be willing to risk your life?"

"My life ended when the war began. Now, I just live for the moment".

"Just get in your truck and drive away".

"Goodbye, Lieutenant Zacks".

Trent charges me, firing his 357 at my head. I fire one shot, directly through his heart. My old friend drops to the floor, blood pouring out of his wound and mouth. I rush to his side.

"Why? WHY YOU IDIOT?"

"Why not? Goodbye....loo....". My former friend and colleague dies in my arms. Despite the fact that he deserted and tried to kill me, I still weep beside him.

"J.H., I want you to go over everything in this warehouse. Every single thing! Whatever it was that he was willing to die for, I want it found immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. Are you all right?"

"I'm not damaged".

"That is not what I meant".

"I know. We used to be good friends. He was a man of honour: a good man and a fine soldier. What the hell happened to him?"

"Some men truly are pure of heart. Others merely pretend to be".

"Do you and your mother subscribe to the same poetry magazines?"

"No, but it seemed like an appropriate thing to say".

"Next time you want to say something like that, don't".

"All right. I am sorry for your loss."

"He was my best friend in the Resistance. He...deserved better than this".

"You did what you thought was right. Whatever is in this warehouse must not be made available on the black market. Especially if it could be useful to Skynet".

" At least, let it be something worth dying for".

"For your sake, it had better be". Everyone else in the warehouse is staring at me. I don't care, my friend is dead and I killed him! I hate this war!


	12. Chapter 12

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XII

For two days after the incident with Trent, I just stayed in my room. My friend had tried to kill me, and I had killed him. More blood on my hands. I'm not sure if I can do this anymore.

"Hello? Lieutenant? Are you in there?"

"What is it Savannah?"

"My mommy got me involved in a local theatre, and she wants you to come with us".

"Tell her thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested".

"Charley? Are going to stay in your room for the rest of your life?"

"Catherine, what I choose to do with my life, or rather, with my lives, is my own business".

"Savannah is going to be in Les Miserables. That is your favourite play, is it not?" I open the door. It is my favourite play.

"You remembered that?"

"I remember everything. John Henry is going to audition for the role of Enjorlas, and I'd like you to audition for the role of Marius".

"I've always wanted to be Marius. All right, if J.H. is doing this, then I will give it a shot".

"I always knew that you two would get along".

"Currently, he's the only friend I have. Let's go".

To be honest, I have never been much of a singer. But there is an advantage to being a Terminator; you can manipulate your voice to sound like anything you want it to. The whole Connor Clan comes with us to the audition. John Henry sings "The Song of Angry Men", and nails the audition. He looks like he is having the time of his life.

"Next up: Mr. Zacks and Ms. Young as Marius and Eponine". What?

"What are you doing, Corporal?"

"Auditioning for a role, just like you are".

"I'm doing it because I can use a distraction from T-R-E-N-T! Why are you doing this?'

"It looks like fun. Excuse me, they are waiting for us".

"Do you have a preference, young lady?"

"A Little Fall of Rain, if that is all right with our Marius?"

"It is. Just between you and me, that song always makes me cry".

Our performance is the best I have ever seen. Her movements, her facial expressions, everything is done perfectly. We have both seen enough people die that we can imitate it flawlessly. As I sing, real tears flow down my face. I am not actually singing about Eponine, I am singing as thought it were Allison that was dying in my arms. It amazes me to see just how much she means to me. By the time we are finished, everyone is crying. Even stone hard Sarah Connor is weeping. The director shouts: "We have found our Eponine and our Marius".

"Wow. That was very impressive, Corporal".

"Thank you, Sir. You were amazing".

"You weren't actually singing about Marius, where you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about". As she walks away, I call out after her.

"Allison! I wasn't singing about Eponine". She stops dead in her tracks.

"Really? Who where you singing about?"

"I think you know her. She is young, and I have only known her a short time. But she means a lot to me. She also looks adorable when she covers her face with her hand to try and hide that fact that she is blushing".

"Yeah! She does, Lieutenant. Thank you"

"You're welcome, Corporal".

Everyone is having a great time. I think we all needed this distraction from the death and destruction that is our lives. When Allison and I are on stage, sparks fly. John Henry keeps teasing me about it. Usually he is never wrong, but I hope he is now. I am loyal to Catherine; I can't be involved with Allison.

"Have you ever noticed that you and Allison have a sort of...chemistry between you?"

"Well, chemistry was always my best subject in school".

"I'm serious, Lieutenant. There is definitely something between you two".

"In case you have forgotten, I already have a girlfriend".

"It is my understanding that my mother is open minded. If you were to discuss this with her, I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing".

"No! Bad John Henry! " Allison is cracking up offstage. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything! Haha! John Henry is trying to set up a threesome with you, me, and Catherine. Hahahaha". The director starts to shout out orders.

"Marius! Eponine! On stage now!"

"As soon as Eponine stops laughing".

"Ok. I'm ok. No, I'm not. Hahahaha".

"Is the idea of sleeping with me really that laughable? Great, now she's on the floor."

"Maybe you should stop telling jokes, Lieutenant".

"J.H., you're my friend. Not my subordinate. Call me Charley".

"Charley, I don't think that we are going to get much done today. Maybe we should continue this tomorrow".

"J.H. That is the most sensible thing you have said today".

"Really, I thought the threesome remark was a valid suggestion".

"Ok. If Allison starts laughing any harder, she is going to pass out".

The following day, we all act a bit more seriously. John Henry has stopped teasing me about Allison. I think he wants us to sort this out ourselves, which sounds a lot more reasonable than a threesome. Sheesh!

"Hey, Allison. I think we need to talk about yesterday".

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. It was completely unprofessional of me".

"What? No, not the laughing. I meant the other thing".

"The threesome? You're serious about that?"

"NO! Stop telling jokes, that's my thing. I'm talking about the chemistry between us".

"Oh yeah, that. What about it?"

"We can't pretend that there isn't something between us. So I suggest we..." I place my fingers on my lips. "Shush".

"What does shush mean?" I place my fingers on her lips.

"It means shush".

"Do you want to kiss me or something?"

"Just, be quiet Corporal. That's an order!" I smash open a prop and pull out my M82.

"What the hell are you...Oh my God!"

"Everyone be quiet. I just heard a pft sound".

"What makes a pft sound?"

"A silenced pistol". I walk to the spot where the pft sound was originating and open a door. The corpse of the director drops to the ground. "Two rounds at close range. I don't think everyone here is who they are pretending to be".

"Oh my God! What happened? Why is he dead?"

"Because someone shot him twice in the chest. J.H., go check to see if the alarms are still active".

"Right". After a few minutes, John Henry returns to report his findings. "Everything is still working".

"And no one has used the main exit. This means that the killer is still here. Good".

"Good? Are you out of your mind, Lieutenant?"

"Corporal, I need you to remain calm. Can you do that?"

"Yes".

"Good. Cover the body with a sheet. J.H., get everyone in a circle. If they ask questions, tell them it is some acting thing. I have a Terminator to kill".

I am positive that a Terminator blew away the director. No one else would be carrying a silencer around here. After John Henry has assembled everyone on stage in a circle, I come out holding my M82. People shriek at the sight of the massive weapon.

"What is going on? What are you going to do?"

"I ask the questions here". I lift the sheet to reveal the dead director. "This man has been shot twice at close range by a silenced weapon. I know that the killer has not left this theatre, so it must be one of you. I say IT, because I do not believe that the killer was human".

"He's insane. Run for the exits".

"As precaution, I had my friend John Henry wire all of the exits with alarm systems. If someone had entered or exited the theatre, the alarm would have been triggered. That means that the killer was already in the theatre and has not left. The use of a silencer indicates a professional assassin".

"Why would an assassin want to kill Redgie?"

"He didn't. Our foolish director was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I believe the true target is an officer in the Resistance. Long Live John Connor!"

That little outburst was exactly what was needed to draw my target into the open. The man playing Javert pulls out a silenced pistol and shoots me twice; once in the chest and once in the head. I hit the floor and pretended to be dead. The Terminator walks over to me, shoots me once more in the head and then checks me for a pulse. Fortunately, Terminators do not have a pulse. It believes that I am dead and begins to walk away.

That is when I grab his leg and throw him off the stage. The machine drops his gun, and then scrambles to retrieve it. We both grab our weapons at the exact same time, and then turn to fire at each other. Four fifty calibre rounds demolish the Terminator's head. I then rush to the edge of the stage and fire two more rounds into the remains of its skull.

"See you later, Terminator!" Despite everything that had just happened, I start laughing.

"Was your brain damaged when he shot you?"

"No, Corporal. Don't you see? I was the target. Skynet sent that thing here to kill me, only they didn't know that I was a Terminator. That tells us two things: one: that I was not built by Skynet and two: that I am important enough to kill. Since they do not know what I am, they do not know what I am capable of. It's like I'm our own X-factor: the unknown element in our war against the machines".

"Great. What now?"

"Well, Javert just killed the director and I just killed Javert. I think it is safe to assume that this play will not be opening. Let's grab the dead machine and go home. LOOK OUT SKYNET! THE ANTI-TERMINATOR IS BACK!"

This is the happiest I have been in a long time. Skynet actually thinks that I am important enough to terminate. The best part is, they have no idea what I am, so they can't actually terminate me. Catherine tells me that the same thing happened to her. It is so much fun to know that the enemy can't kill you. Let them come. Let all of their armies descend upon me. I will destroy them all. Plus, John Henry has started to make new types of weapons from all of the nuclear power cores we have pulled out of dead Terminators. We now have soldiers they know nothing about, and weapons that they are completely unaware of. This war just got interesting.

"Good evening, Corporal. Join me for a drink?"

"No thank you, Lieutenant. I do not drink".

"Neither did I, when I was human. It's amazing how things change when you are a Terminator".

"Speaking of change, I believe you were going to say something to me before you heard the silenced pistol shots".

"I was going to suggest that we try to avoid complications that could ruin our friendship. I value you as a friend, Allison. More like a sister, actually. Do you think we can work through our issues without ruining that?"

"It sounds like a plan to me".

"Good, because I really do not want to change things between us. You are very important to me. Goodnight, little sister".

"Good night, big brother". All things considered, this is the most fun I have had in years.


	13. Chapter 13

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XIII

Ellison seldom drops by the house when everyone is home. Today is a different story. His contacts in the FBI have informed him of a series of killings that resemble Terminator attacks. Some of the killings occurred simultaneously. This means that there is more than one Terminator out there.

"Hey Jamie, could you pass that list over here for a minute?"

"Yes, and don't call me Jamie. My name is James, or Mr. Ellison".

"Whatever. Wow, I knew most of the people on this list".

"You did?"

"Yeah, they were Resistance officers. All except for this one. Corporal Young, do you recognize this name?" Allison reads the list, and then turns as white as a sheet.

"He was the one that recruited me. He taught me everything I know about survival". Allison is starting to cry. I place my arm around her shoulder.

"I am sorry for you loss, Corporal Young".

"If he is dead, who is going to bring me into the Resistance?"

"Catherine is. Right?"

"Catherine? Not you?"

"I'm afraid that I won't be around much longer. Not if my plan works". Everyone is now focusing on me.

"What are you talking about, Charley?"

"Catherine, if you wanted to kill Resistance officers, who would your primary target be?"

"John Connor, of course".

"Wrong. Kill Kyle Reese and you kill John Connor. Kill John Connor and you kill the human race. The primary target will be young Kyle Reese and his brother. So what I propose is that we get Ellison over here to contact his friends in the FBI, and get us two identical Black Hawk helicopters".

"Why do we need two helicopters?"

"Ok, here's my plan: First, John Henry will activate his nuclear arsenal and load it onto the first helicopter. We all get in, and fly it over to the Reese house to pick up Kyle and Derrick. After we pick them up, we stop somewhere and pretend to refuel. I then take the second helicopter to Catherine's office building and wait for the Terminators. Once they show up, I will contact John Henry on one of our communications devices, and then you take the first helicopter and nuke the building".

"Wait, what? That is your brilliant plan?"

"Skynet already knows how important Reese and Connor are to the Resistance. They will send every available unit to try and take them out. We nuke the building, and we blow them all up at once".

"Along with you. Charley, this is suicide!"

"The fate of humanity does not rest on my survival. As long as Kyle Reese lives to father John Connor, we will win the war". Catherine runs up to me, throws her arms around me, and then kisses me more passionately than she has in years.

"I've already lost you once. I can't lose you a second time".

"I've died before and still found a way back to you. I will again, I promise". We kiss for God knows how long, until Ellison interrupts us.

"Do you think we should get started now?"

"Right. Save the world first, make love second. Let's go. John Henry, you had better have those nukes ready to go by the time I've lured the Terminators to the building".

I've missed this; sitting in a helicopter on route to a combat mission. Granted, I would prefer to be flying this thing. I feel like my old self again, the combat pilot who would have flown to hell and back for the Resistance. God, things are so beautiful up here. Of course, there is a certain degree of uneasiness. Particularly with the man who seated across from me, who is also the man I nearly choked the life out of back in the prison.

"How are you this fine morning, twerp?"

"So, that guy has a nuclear arsenal assembled from destroyed Terminators?"

"Yep".

"And you are going to use it to destroy more Terminators, using yourself as bait?"

"Yes".

"Does this plan sound crazy to anyone else?"

"Only everyone. What is on your mind, Corporal?"

"Not much. It's a shame we had to leave John, Sarah, and Catherine behind".

"Someone had to stay and watch Savannah. Right, Catherine?" She oozes out of the wall of the helicopter.

"How did you know I was there?"

"I figured you would try and talk me out of this. Thanks for coming. I'm glad that you still care about me".

"I still love you, Charley. Listen, if I can't talk you out of this, might I suggest a less populated target".

"What do you have in mind?"

"My company owns a warehouse nearby. Here, I'll show you on this map".

"It's perfect! Tell the pilot about the new location, then radio ahead to everyone else involved in our little trap. Catherine, you are still as brilliant as you are beautiful". She smiles, gives me one last kiss for good luck, and then goes off to speak to the pilot.

When we land outside of the Reese residence, we attract quite a bit of attention. Cameron and John Henry are manning the Gatling guns, just in case. For our plan to work, they will have to remove the Gatling guns and replace them with Dragon missiles modified with a nuclear payload. At the moment, Gatling guns with Sabre incendiary rounds should be enough to keep the Terminators at bay.

"Mrs. Reese, could you please open this door". I don't hear any reply, so I smash the door down.

"Who the hell are you? What right do you have to kick in my door and barge into my house?"

"Mr. Reese, be quiet. There is someone out there trying to kill your sons. For their own protection, we must take them away immediately".

"You're not taking my sons". I grab him by the throat and lift him in the air.

"Yes, I am! Children, I need you to go inside the helicopter with Agent Ellison. Good day to you!" I drop the man flat on his ass.

Both children are excited about riding in an actual Black Hawk helicopter. We fly to the rendezvous point, and then land to refuel. At which point, I get into the second helicopter and prepare for takeoff. Before I leave, I do a last minute communications check with John Henry.

"Remember J.H., do not fire until I give the word. As soon as I signal you to take off, you get that helicopter into the air and then get ready to blast my location. Understood?"

"Roger that. And Charley, it has been an honour".

"Hey, who knows? I just might survive this thing". I doubt it, but I really hope that is what happens.

I fly to the warehouse, and then drag the helicopter inside the building. Then, I wait and pray that this works. If I am right, all of the Terminators should descend on this building, cover all of the exits, and assault my position at once. They will not want to make any mistakes. This is the big one; a mission to stop John Connor from being born. It is so much easier to kill a helpless child than to kill a full grown woman. Makes you wonder why they ever tried to kill Sarah in the first place.

Sure enough, I hear the sound of motorcycles surrounding the building. I signal John Henry, and hope that he gets here before they leave. As soon as they discover that this is a trap, the Terminators will scatter. Seven Terminators enter the warehouse. Some of them block the exits, others take up defensive positions, and the rest begin to approach the helicopter.

"Good morning, gentlemen. How may I help you?"

"We are looking for Kyle Reese".

"Sorry, he's not here. May I take a message?" We can all hear the helicopter approaching. All of the Terminators close in on my position.

"They would not fire on one of their own. They will have to land, at which point we will kill them. Then, Kyle Reese will die".

"You talk a lot for a Terminator. Just one question, what happens when you adapt a Dragon missile with a nuclear payload?"

"You are lying".

"Am I? NOW JOHN HENRY!" There is a bright flash, then nothing.

When I wake up, Catherine is staring down at me. Everything is all fuzzy and out of focus. Is this heaven? Don't be stupid, there is no heaven. You've died before, you know that there is no heaven. I did it, I actually survived a nuclear strike!

"Good morning!"

"How long have I been out?"

"Twenty four hours. We weren't sure if you would ever wake up".

"How are young Derrick and Kyle?"

"They are safe and sound with their parents. We did it. We saved them".

"What happened to the seven Terminators that where with me in the warehouse?"

"They were obliterated, along with the entire warehouse. We are still trying to figure out how you survived when everything else was vaporized. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been run over with a tank! Man, I ....AAAA!" I move my hand to my face, only to discover that I no longer have any flesh. "What happened?"

"The blast vaporized your skin. Can you feel any pain?"

"No, mostly because I no longer have any pain receptors! Does anyone have a mirror?"

"There is one in the hallway. Brace yourself, Charley. You might not like what you see". I stand in front of the mirror.

"Good God! I've never seen a Terminator with this design before!"

"Neither have I. I think you might be one of a kind, Charley".

"I don't have a face! God, my eyes are glowing red". I cover my head with my hands. "I'm a monster!"

"No! No you're not. You are a man, Charley. The same man that I fell in the love with. Today, your actions took out seven Terminators and probably saved the entire Resistance. You should receive a metal for what you did".

"Instead, I am made OF metal!" Catherine kisses me on the forehead. Or rather, the shiny metal that would have been my forehead.

"John Henry is working on a way to restore your human appearance. Everything is going to be all right Charley. You'll see".

"Thank you Catherine. Thank you for everything. Hey, are you crying?"

"You kept your promise! You came back to me!"

"I told you that I would".

"I will never doubt you again". She takes me in her arms and holds me tight. "You are amazing, Charley".

"For my next trick, I will cut myself in half and then put myself back together". She starts laughing. "Hey, when J.H. has finished putting me back together, would you like to go out for dinner".

"I would love to". Yes. We are back together, and all that it took was for me to be nuked. I love this woman!


	14. Chapter 14

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XIV

It takes John Henry twenty four hours to restore my former appearance. It amazes me how skilled he is. He even managed to restore my sense of touch; I can still feel pleasure and pain. Prior to my restoration, I decided to have a little fun. For example, I decided to sneak into Reese's room. I think he might have messed himself when he saw me.

"METAL!"

"Don't shoot! It's me".

"God damn it! You scarred the shit out of me. What are you doing in here?"

"Scarring the shit out of you. It's too bad that I can't go out like this, I think this is a good look for me".

"You're out of your mind! Try that again, and I will blow your head off".

"Reese, a nuclear bomb couldn't blow my head off! What makes you think you can?"

"Good point. Weaver says you were designed to survive a nuclear blast. Kind of makes you wonder what you were actually built for".

"I know. I'm even designed to absorb radiation. That is a neat trick. Don't you think so?"

"I know Sarah will be glad to hear that. Speaking of which, why don't you go say hello? She's in the shower right now. Go in and surprise her".

"Only if you come with me, Reese".

"What do you need me for?"

"Nothing. I just assumed you would like to see Sarah in the shower".

"Oh haha! Very funny! Fine, I'll go. But, not to stare at Sarah. I just want to see what will happen".

"Of course you do. Come on, num nuts".

"Did you just call me..."

"Are you going to do something about it?"

"Sheesh. You are starting to remind me of Sarah".

"I'll take that as a compliment".

We sneak in as quietly as possible. It is a sight to behold. While most people keep towels on the toilet seat while they are in the shower, Sarah keeps a loaded nine millimetre. I signal Reese to stay behind me, just in case she gets a little trigger happy.

"Damn it, Reese. I thought I told you to stay out of here!" Ok. She thinks I'm Reese. I modify my voice to imitate him.

"Sorry Sarah! I just wanted to see what a Goddess looks like in the shower". Sarah starts to laugh, and Reese throws something at me.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Just playing Cyrano de Terminator, Lieutenant. Shut up and let me do the talking". Sarah has finally stopped laughing.

"You know, sometimes I think you take this routine a little too far".

"What routine is that, Sarah?"

"That you have a crush on me. I know you are only doing it to humour that walking refrigerator, but you need to draw a line somewhere".

"If you are speaking about Lieutenant Zacks, I must ask you to stop referring to him as a refrigerator. He was a decorated officer once, who gave his life in the service of your son".

"A lot of good men have given their lives in the service of John, Reese. A lot of good men".

"Like Kyle?"

"Yes. Like Kyle".

"Did he ever tell you that you have magnificent breasts?"

"Oh my God. Reese if you don't get out of here...." She pulls the curtains back a bit and sees me. "SHIT!" She grabs the nine millimetre and unloads it into my skull. Afterwards, I stop talking like Reese and start talking like myself again.

"Was that therapeutic for you?"

"You son of a bitch! How could you do that?"

"Ok. So Cyrano de Terminator was a bad idea. Noted. Come on, Reese. Let's get out of here".

"REESE?"

"I...I...I had nothing to do with this".

"As I recall, Lieutenant Reese, this was YOUR idea!"

"He's lying!"

"GET OUT!" I don't think I have ever seen Reese run that fast. I tried to stay away from both of them after that.

When Catherine and I finally went on our date, I told her about the entire ordeal. She just burst out laughing. I thought she was going to spill her wine glass. You know, I don't think I have ever dined in such a fancy restaurant. The silverware is actually made of silver. The joys of being a CEO.

"Cyrano de Terminator? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard".

"Hey, it works all of the time in the movies".

"This isn't a movie, Charley. Sarah is probably going to place land mines behind her bedroom door!"

"If this were anyone else, I would say you were joking. But Sarah..........Remind me to get a metal detector".

Catherine bursts out laughing, again. We enjoy a great steak dinner and have some terrific conversations. Things are going great, until I notice a naked woman running through bushes outside of the restaurant. Judging by the way that she is running, she is not doing this for fun.

"I have to go, Catherine".

"What? Now?"

"There is a naked woman in the bushes outside".

"Charley! My God!"

"I don't think she wants to be naked at this particular moment".

"Go! Kick some ass!" We both chuckle, as I give her a farewell kiss and head off to save the damsel in distress.

As I make my way through the bushes, I notice a group of armed men running around. If they get to her first, God have mercy on them because I won't. I reach a clearing in time to see the poor woman get hit by a taser. She falls to the ground screaming. That does it, no more Mr. Nice Terminator.

"You have two minutes to get your asses out of here!" One man comes at me with a knife. The fool has no idea what he is getting into.

"If you know what is good for you, you will turn around and leave".

"Last warning, turn and run".

"Last warning? I will show you a last warning!" He stabs me in the chest. I smile right in his face, and then I break his arm. His companions are not pleased.

"That does it. You...are a DEAD MAN!"

They all come at me, and I let them. There are enough knives sticking out of me that I look like a pin cushion. With the greatest of ease, I knock these guys in every direction. The would-be rapists fly through the air as I throw and push them. The poor girl starts to get up, only to be tasered again.

"You are so going to wish that you hadn't done that!"

I try to push the guy in such a way that he is sent flying through the air. Instead, I miscalculate and send my fist through his chest. Granted, he was a rapist, but I don't like to kill anyone. As I lower his body to the ground, I whisper in his ear: "I'm sorry". As upset as I am at killing this man, it is nothing compared to how upset his friends are. One of them takes out a crowbar that he had hid in his jacket and smacks me on the side of the head with it. I let him for a while, before grabbing his arm and throwing him into a nearby tree.

"Would anyone else care to try that?"

Apparently not, because the next sound I hear is the young woman screaming. I turn to see that one of the assailants is climbing on top of her. I need to discourage these bastards without killing them. Grabbing the man by the throat, I lift him into the air.

"Do you like raping young women?"

"Please, don't!" I rip off his testicles and then drop him on his ass. That should discourage the others.

"Everyone on the ground, NOW!" They all do as I command. "Stay there until the police arrive". I look for the young woman, only to find her crawling away from me. I rush to her side and say the one phrase that I have always wanted to say: "Come with me if you want to live!"

She slowly climbs to her feet, and I put my trench coat around her. Now, we need to find some transportation. I walk past the bushes towards the nearby road, and wait for the next car. As soon as it arrives, I stand in the middle of the road until it stops. Once the car has come to a complete halt, I walk over to the driver's window and shove my M82 in his face.

"Out of the car! NOW!" The poor guy looks like he is going to wet himself.

"Ok. Ok. You can have the car, just don't shoot me".

"There is a group of rapists kneeling in the bushes. Call the cops and tell them to pick these ass holes up." Have you ever seen a dog when it doesn't understand something? That is exactly the look this guy had when I told him about the rapists.

"What are you talking about?" The young woman comes out of the bushes and stands next to me. "Oh my God, is she ok?"

"She is now. We need your car, and you need to call the cops. Right now!"

"Why don't you do it?"

"Uh. I accidentally killed one of them".

"Ok. I understand. Just get her to safety. I have a daughter about her age".

That has got to be the strangest car-jacking in history. As we drive to the Safe House, the young woman is completely silent. She doesn't have any identification, so I have no idea where she belongs.

"What's your name?" Silence. This is not going to be easy. "If you don't tell me your name, I'm going to have to make one up".

"You stole that line from Captain Kirk".

"Ok, so you're a Trekkie. Me too. Could you tell me your name?"

"It's Sarah. You're a Terminator, right?" Ok, this is getting weird.

"What do you know about Terminators?"

"Only that they have been trying to kill me since I was born. Why are you helping me?"

"I'm an officer in the Resistance. It's my job".

"An officer? Oh my God, you're Zacks, aren't you?" What? She knows my name?

"You know me?"

"My father built you. He said you were our ultimate weapon in the war against the machines. Practically indestructible".

"Yeah, about that, how did manage to make me nuke proof?"

"He made his own modifications to the construction process. Technically, you're built to survive anything".

"That is good to know. So, are we related?"

"No, you are his creation. Like a high tech tool. I am his daughter".

"All right. We are going to our Safe House. I should warn you, I'm not the only Terminator there".

"Fine by me, I'm used to fighting alongside Terminators. Every unit has one".

We spend the rest of the drive talking about the future and the Resistance. A lot has changed since I have been....away. Sarah is part of a whole new generation of Resistance soldiers. The war has gone on for so long, the children of Resistance fighters are now front line soldiers. It just never ends. When we finally reach the Safe House, Reese is at the front door waiting for us.

"Who's this?"

"This is Sarah. She's a Resistance soldier that I saved from a gang of rapists. She'll be staying with us for a while".

"Welcome to our unit, Sarah".

"Thank you. I'm glad to be here". After what happened earlier, she's probably glad to be anywhere. As we walk into the house, Cameron is crossing through the hallway.

"CAMERON!"

"Sarah Connor?" Sarah what? The young woman runs up to Cameron and hugs her.

"It is so good to see you".

"What are you doing here?" Wait, she looks familiar. Is she....?

"Cameron. Is...is that John Connor's daughter?"

"Yes, she is". Oh boy, this is going to be awkward.


	15. Chapter 15

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XV

The daughter of John Connor! This is amazing. Connor himself put me back together. I was his ultimate weapon, the indestructible soldier on the frontline of our war against the machines. I am now a part of the Connor legacy.

"Sarah, I just want you to know that I have the deepest respect for your father. John Connor is and always has been the greatest combat leader I have ever seen".

"Thank you, Lieutenant. If he were here, my father would be proud of you".

Ironically, John and Sarah choose that exact moment to walk in. There is an obvious resemblance between John and the younger Sarah Connor. You can tell that she is his daughter. I wonder how Sarah will react to being a grandmother? Things are going to get complicated. The elder Sarah Connor speaks first.

"Why is there a naked girl in our house?"

"Oh, you are going to love this. John and Sarah, I would like to introduce Sarah Connor of the Resistance". The poor girl looks more panicked than Allison. Seriously, I think she is going to cry.

"John...and...Sarah....are you...?"

"This is your family. I just love reunions, don't you Cameron?"

Young Sarah Connor runs out of the room with tears in her eyes. That is not the reaction I was looking for. Apparently, Catherine is not pleased either, because she is yelling at me.

"You idiot! Why did you do that?"

"What? What did I do?"

"Cameron, Sarah, and myself are from the same period. Where we are from, John Connor has already been killed in action and his children have never gotten over it". Shit! Connor bought the farm? I can't believe it.

"I...I didn't know that. Who's running the Resistance?"

"Connor's eldest, Kyle, is the new Supreme Commander. I wonder why he sent her here?"

"Kyle and Sarah. So, he named his kids after his parents. That is so touching, and I am being a jerk again, aren't I".

"Yes, you are." Cameron storms into the room. Time to get yelled at, again.

"That was incredibly insensitive of you, Lieutenant".

"I didn't know Connor was dead! Speaking of Connor, did you know that he built me?"

"No, but it makes sense. John was a genius".

"Why did she run to you, anyway?"

"Cameron was the one that told Connor's children about his...demise. She remained at his side until the very end".

"Wow, I never knew that you were so loyal to the Connor family".

"There is a lot you do not know about me, Lieutenant. I am going to check on Sarah, she was very shaken by today's events". That is understandable. God, I must seem like such an ass. The remaining Connors look so confused right now.

"She's your granddaughter".

"Excuse me?"

"The girl, she is the daughter of John Connor. He named her after you, Sarah Connor". Sarah Connor is starting to tear up. I have seen this woman tied up and beaten, but I have never seen her cry before.

"She's my granddaughter. I have a granddaughter".

"Ok. If you want to shoot me, you go right ahead. I think I deserve it this time". Sarah runs up and gives me a kiss on the cheek. "That was not the response I was expecting".

"I never thought that I would live to see my grandchildren. Hell, I never thought that I would have grandchildren. Bringing her here was......Thank you, Lieutenant".

"You're welcome, Grandma Connor". Sarah laughs and punches me in the arm. Then, Sarah and John go off to talk to the newest member of the Connor clan.

I do my best to stay out of the way and give them their privacy. After all, this is a family matter and I am not part of the family. Whatever they said to each other, it must have been good. That night, the two Sarah Connors and Allison were doing yoga together in the living room. John Henry motions towards a nearby wall, where Reese is sneaking around. I creep up behind him and slap him on the back.

"JESUS!"

"Care to join us, Reese?"

"Uh..No, Sarah. I was just....walking through". As he walks by, Reese flips me the bird and mouths the words: I am going to kill you. I smile and mouth the words: Bring it.

I can't believe they didn't hear me approaching. I have the same molecular density as an Abrams tank! Connor did a great job designing me. As the women do their yoga, I quietly slip into the room. Silently, I creep up behind Allison and give her foot a quick tickle.

"AHA! Don't do that!"

"Sorry , little sister. Having a good time, young Sarah?"

"Why don't you join us, Lieutenant?"

"Uh...I would love to. But Terminators are not as flexible as humans".

"Actually, my father built you to be more flexible than humans".

"Really? Your father was a talented man".

What the heck? It's not like yoga could hurt me. I take a place next to Allison and start to imitate her movements. It is truly amazing just how well Connor put me back together again. I have never been this flexible before. Then, I hear a man's voice laughing from the hallway. There is only one person in this house that laughs like that, Reese is back.

"Take a spot, Reese. There's plenty of room".

"Sorry, Charley, but I've still got my cohones".

"Yes you do. You still have your lonely, lonely cohones".

Both Sarah Connors are practically rolling on the floor laughing. Allison gives me a friendly kick. It is so much fun to mess with Reese and Sarah. It wasn't so much fun for Reese though, because he shot me in the head and then left. I think I am starting to get used to being shot. Of course, the younger Sarah has no idea why he reacted like that.

"What the hell? He just shot a fellow Resistance soldier?"

"He's upset because I keep busting his balls about your grandmother".

"What about my grandmother?"

"How do I put this gently? Your great uncle....wants....to...make whoopee with your grandmother".

"Where's my gun?" At this rate, Sarah and Reese will be out of ammunition long before they even see the enemy.

"You know, if you keep shooting me, you won't have anything left for the Terminators".

Sarah chuckles and goes back to her yoga. As we are all relaxing in the living room, John walks in and tells us that he has been intercepting a lot of communications traffic from a nearby storage facility. The future general wants someone to go and check it out. I volunteer, after all, I am indestructible. However, a certain young Connor wants to tag along. This is going to be difficult.

"Out of the question, young miss. I am going alone".

"COLONEL!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's Colonel Connor, Lieutenant. I will be leading this mission, and that is an order. You don't shoot, you don't smash, you don't even walk away without my permission. Got it?"

"Your father knew that men in the field need to be able to flow with the punches, Colonel. That is why he gave us leverage to act according to the circumstances".

"I'm not my father. We are going to do things by the book, and that means doing everything I say and nothing else. Grab your gear, Lieutenant". She's a regular army clown. I hate regular army clowns!

We drive to the site in complete silence. When we reach the storage facility, Colonel Connor instructs me to examine one section of units while she examines the other. The storage units are large enough to store cars in, or something the size of cars. For all we know, there could be an entire squadron of T-1s here. Splitting up is not a good idea. But I am a soldier, and I follow my orders even if they are idiotic and are most likely to get my superior officer killed.

As we make our way through the storage units, I can hear an extra set of footsteps approaching Sarah's position. I call her up on her cell-phone, and get yelled at for my troubles. This woman definitely has a stick up her backside.

"My orders were clear, Lieutenant. We do things by the book, which means strict radio silence until we have completed our mission. Now be quiet and .....UH!" Shit!

I pull out my M82 and rush to a good vantage point. Once I get a clear view of her position, I see a man in black standing over her holding a taser. He must have gotten the drop on her while she was busy yelling at me for trying to warn her. I point my M82 at the man and use the sniper scope to aim at his head.

"You! Away from the girl! Now!" The man turns around holding a 357 Magnum. "My gun's got a scope, yours doesn't. Who do you think will score a hit? Hands over your head before you lose it!"He does as instructed. "Step away from her. Now!"

As the man starts to walk away from the unconscious Colonel, a second man comes up behind me. He tries to take me out with taser, and I break his neck with the butt of my rifle. The first man panics and makes a run for Sarah. I shoot him in the head. I knew splitting up was a bad idea. We walked into an ambush! Then, I hear a noise that makes my blood boil. It is the sound of a jet engine starting. It can't be.....not here.

I walk over to the storage unit that is making the noise and smash open the padlock. Opening the unit reveals the bane of my existence. A completed Hunter Killer Aerial Assault Drone. It wakes up and looks at me. Those damned red eyes that I have seen a hundred times before are focused on me. The engines fire up as it prepares for take off. It has recognized me as a threat, but I have nothing to take it out with. If it escapes, God only knows how many people will be killed. These things are flying death machines, armed with anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-ship missiles. It must not escape; too many lives are at risk.

Then, I remember that I did not come here alone. At this range, those engines will burn Sarah to a crisp. Instinctively, I jump on top of her. Apparently, my body is designed to absorb heat as well as radiation. The Hunter Killer passes over me without inflicting any damage. Sarah is fine, but my flesh has been incinerated again. Worse, the killing machine has escaped. Damn it!

I call up John to tell him what has happened. When I reach him, he punches a bunch of buttons on his phone. The stupid recognition code! Unfortunately, I do not know the appropriate response.

"John, you never gave me the damn recognition code!"

"What's up, Lieutenant?"

"There was a Hunter Killer here. It got away!"

"Shit! How's Sarah?"

"Your daughter's fine. She's unconscious because she led us into an ambush and refused to listen to my warnings, but she's fine". Someone shoots me in the back of the head. "Now she's conscious".

"Oh, it's you! What happened?"

"What happened, Colonel, is that you got jumped. If you had let me accompany you, this would not have happened. But, you know best, because you're the damn Colonel".

"I will not be talked to this way, Lieutenant!"

"Shut up!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said shut up. You know, I have seen dozens of commanders like you. They all end up the same; they get killed and take their whole division down with them. Any decent veteran knows that you throw the book out the canopy as soon as you go into combat".

"What happened to your skin?"

"I'm glad you've noticed. The reason that I no longer have any flesh is that I was run over by a HUNTER KILLER! The reason you are unharmed is that I saved your ass! Now there is a flying death machine going who knows where to kill a lot of people. Great mission, Colonel!"

"I will have you court-martialled for that!"

"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be alive to court martial anyone. Get up, Sir! We have an HK to hunt down and destroy". How the hell did an HK get here? Could things get any worse?


	16. Chapter 16

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XVI

During the drive home, the song Iron Man is playing on the radio. Lately, this song has been reminding me of myself. Especially during moments like this when my skin has been burned away by an explosion or by a low flying aerial assault drone. Colonel Connor is driving, just in case we get pulled over. It would be better if no one could see me until we have fixed this mess. I swear, if she so much as mentions me breaking regulations I will jump out of this car and walk the rest of the way home.

"Thank you".

"What?"

"For saving my life back there. You didn't have to do that".

"Believe me, I know. But, I owe it to your father to keep you in one piece. Frankly, I don't think you deserve your rank or your name".

We don't say another word until we reach the Safe House. I brace myself for the oncoming barrage of bullets. Instead, Allison comes running through the hallway and gives me a hug. This is not what I was expecting.

"I heard about what happened. Are you ok?"

"I'm not damaged. I would have thought that once you had seen me, you would run off in the opposite direction".

"Why would I run from my brother?" That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. How sad is that?

"Thank you, Allison". I go through the motions of giving her a kiss on the cheek, before remembering that I no longer have any lips. Allison is starting to giggle, God do I feel stupid. "Sorry. I forgot that I was missing a face".

"That's not why I'm laughing. Your face is very cold". She runs her hand over my skull. I would smile if I could. It's hard to stay furious when a sweet faced young woman is being kind to you.

"Where's John Henry? I need to talk to him".

"He's in his room. I'm glad you're all right, good evening, Lieutenant. Colonel". Allison trots off to her room.

"I don't think I will ever understand your relationship with that woman".

"She's my friend. You should try having one".

John Henry is glad to see me. I can not remember the last time that so many people were concerned about my well being. Catherine and John Henry are preparing for my repairs. The repairs can wait, the Hunter Killer can't.

"We need something to burn that metal mother fucker out of the sky. It needs to be small enough to be portable, but with enough range and power to blast an aerial drone while it is in flight. It also needs to be reusable, none of this fire once then throw it out crap. Hunter Killers rarely travel alone, and if you need to change weapons every time you fire, you will be dead before you can hit the second vehicle. Any chance you can make something like that, J.H.?" John Henry smiles. He must already have something that fits the bill.

"Come with me to the workshop".

John Henry's workshop is a small shed that is right behind the Safe House. This is the place where all new Resistance wonder-weapons are born. In the middle of the shed is a massive weapon. I've never seen anything like it. John Henry has been busy lately!

"What is it?"

"It's a vehicle mounted railgun. I got the idea from the new Transformers movie".

"I knew it was a good idea to take you to see that. J.H., you are a genius. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently. Will it work?"

"I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but theoretically it should work".

"What kind of power supply does it use?"

"I've converted the nuclear power cores from destroyed Terminators to power my railgun. It is portable, relatively light weight, and rapid firing. The only problem is that it is too long to carry, so we need to mount it on the back of a jeep or truck".

"Now for the six million dollar question, can it shoot down a Hunter Killer?"

"Theoretically, yes it can. Do I get six million dollars now?" We all start laughing and then Catherine, John Henry, and myself mount the new railgun onto the back of Reese's pickup truck.

"What the hell are you doing to my truck?"

"Converting it into a tank, or self propelled artillery battery". Reese just shakes his head and goes back inside the house. Colonel Connor walks beside the truck.

"Could you use a hand?"

"No. John Henry can handle the technical stuff and I am a better shot than you. Just, stay behind and try not to get killed". Not my most charming moment, but it had to be said. This girl is going to get herself killed eventually.

"Do you know why I am a Colonel?"

"Because you sent in the right number of box-tops?" I am so being court-martialled after this.

"It's because I'm John Connor's daughter. You were right, I don't deserve my rank. I screwed up, now I want to try and make things right. Let me come with you". John Henry taps me on the shoulder.

"If I remember correctly, which I always do, Hunter Killers are equipped with DNA recognition equipment. If it detects the DNA signature of a Connor...."

"Then our prey will come to us and we can knock it out of the sky. Hop in kid".

"Thank you. It's about time I started living up to my legacy".

"Well, someone is being full of themselves". Everyone starts laughing as we head off on our little hunting trip.

As we drive through the desert looking for the Hunter Killer, everyone is doing their best to keep busy. I man the railgun and keep my eyes glued to the horizon. John Henry runs maintenance on the railgun, ensuring that it will fire when we find our target. Catherine drives like a maniac through the desert. I can tell how nervous she is. After all, her son stands a good chance of being blown to pieces if things go south. As for the Colonel, she just sits and stares at the world.

"How's the gun, J.H.?"

"It's fine. We should be all right, barring any unexpected malfunctions".

"When have you ever heard of an expected malfunction?"

"Good point. I'll keep an eye on everything".

"Thank you. What's on your mind, Connor?"

" I don't think you can talk to me like that, Lieutenant".

"Are you going to pull this crap again? I earned my rank, you didn't".

"I know. I know. It sucks to be his daughter, everyone expects you to be a great officer, just like him. The truth is; I would give anything to be anyone but a Connor. I'm not my father, and I will never be my father".

"Yeah, well, we can talk about this later. Now, we just need to focus on.......BANDIT AT THREE O'CLOCK! J.H., THIS GUN HAD BETTER WORK!"

The Hunter Killer begins its approach on our vehicle. I aim the railgun directly at the centre of the flying death machine. Our plan has worked perfectly. It must have recognized the railgun by now, but it is willing to risk destruction in order to terminate a Connor. For added incentive, young Sarah Connor stands up in the truck and starts to wave her arms screaming "Down here! HEY! DOWN HERE!"

"Please tell me this thing is good to go, J.H.".

"All set, just pull the trigger".

"Not yet, let it get closer".

The truck swerves in different directions as Catherine struggles to avoid incoming missile fire. Despite being shot at, I still wait. When the Hunter Killer reaches optimal firing range, I pull the trigger. A projectile is fired from the railgun at such an incredible velocity, that it cuts the Hunter Killer in half. That was the most incredible thing I have ever seen, cutting an enemy aircraft in half with a gun mounted on the back of a truck. We all start to cheer and shout congratulatory remarks at each other.

"Great shooting, Lieutenant! You scored a bull's-eye!"

"Don't thank me, thank John Henry! This is a great little gun you put together, J.H., we all owe you one".

"Thank you, I am quite proud of it. However, you are an expert marksman. Just accept the congratulations and bask in your own glory".

"Some other time. Good hunting everyone! Let's go home, WAHOO!"

We drive home hollering like drunken fans at a soccer riot. Though it will wake up everyone in the Safe House, we don't care. The Hunter Killer prototype has been destroyed, and hopefully that project has been dealt a serious blow. Who knows, we just might be able to track down the bastards that developed those flying death machines and put an end to their villainy.

"We did it! We cut the metal bastard in half. Scratch one enemy aircraft!" Allison runs out and gives me hug.

"I knew you'd do it. Good job, Lieutenant".

"Don't forget to thank the genius behind our new wonder weapon". Catherine laughs and taps me on the shoulder.

"You'll have to thank him later. He's busy modifying the railgun in his workshop". That man is such a perfectionist. Good for us, very bad for Skynet. Amidst all of the congratulations, I hear an interesting conversation between Allison and young Sarah Connor.

"Congratulations on bagging your HK, Colonel".

"Lieutenant Zacks shot down the HK, Corporal. I was just the bait".

"Being the bait is still important, especially when everyone else is a Terminator. Your father would have been proud".

"Look, I know you are trying to cheer me up, but can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Don't!" Colonel Connor storms off to her room, leaving poor Allison in the middle of the hallway. I walk over to her, curious to know what the hell is going on.

"What was that about?"

"I'm trying to make her feel at home here. After all, I didn't fit in too well when I arrived".

"That was because we had to kidnap you to bring you here".

"And because I felt like a failure to the Resistance. I had been captured twice, and my interrogation had nearly led to the death of John Connor. Honestly, I was starting to wonder if I even belonged in the Resistance".

"What changed your mind?"

"You did. You treated me like I was part of your family, like I meant something. I'm just extending the same courtesy to Sarah".

"Allison, you are a terrific human being. Never change".

"Trust me, I won't. By the way, you should probably put some skin on before someone else sees you".

"What?" I had forgotten about my earlier encounter with the Hunter Killer. We set out to destroy it before starting my repairs, so I still looked like a Terminator. "Thanks for the reminder. I'll have J.H. help me....pull myself together". Allison walked away laughing. God bless that young woman.


	17. Chapter 17

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XVII

Cyberdine, in their infinite wisdom, decided to test their new T-1 this morning. Of course, the test did not go as planned. The T-1s killed everyone in the test facility and are now shooting up downtown Los Angeles. As a result, Catherine, John Henry, and I are now driving into Los Angeles with our new railgun to take down these malfunctioning murder machines.

As soon as we reach downtown L.A., we encounter a squad car that is being peppered with machine gun fire from a T-1. The police officers are pinned down behind their vehicle, begging for back up. We have to save them. Catherine drives straight towards the T-1 while I aim the railgun at its center. The moment I think we are at optimal firing range, I pull the trigger and blast that infernal machine to pieces. It amazes me that a metal projectile with no explosives whatsoever can destroy an armoured fighting machine.

"Run for cover! We'll take care of the rampaging robots". The police officers scatter, hopefully to find cover instead of going off to fight more T-1s. As we pass the wrecked squad car, we overhear voices screaming on the police radio.

"Repeat, this SWAT team Alpha, we are surrounded by robots! Weapons are ineffective, request support immediately. Is anyone hearing this? We need support now or we're dead".

John Henry uses that supercomputer brain of his to trace the distress signal back to its point of origin. We head off to rescue the trapped SWAT team, praying that they do not get killed before we reach them. When we finally do reach them, we find them encircled by four T-1s. This is not going to be easy.

"J.H., how quickly can we reload this thing?"

"Only one way to find out, Charley". He has been acting much more human lately.

Catherine pulls in so that we are directly opposite the attacking T-1s. I aim the railgun at the nearest machine and pull the trigger. The T-1 explodes instantly. The other three machines cease firing at the SWAT team and turn their attention towards us. With John Henry's help, I quickly reload the railgun and fire at the second T-1. The second machine is destroyed, and we reload to fire at the third. I fire at the third T-1 and destroy it before it can open fire on our truck. As we reload the railgun, the fourth T-1 fires at the cabin of our pickup truck. Machine gun bullets rip through the cabin, and I pray to God that Catherine is all right. I destroy the fourth T-1 before it can hit the engine or gas tank of our truck. Once the threat has been neutralized, I leap out of the truck and run towards the cabin.

"CATHERINE!" Catherine climbs out of the cabin, and I throw my arms around her. "Oh, thank God! I thought I had lost you".

"It will take more than machine gun fire to terminate me". A few members of the SWAT team run towards the truck.

"Is she all right?"

"I am fine. Thank you for your concern, officer".

"Thank you for saving our ass. You are a lucky group of people".

"I hate to break up the mood here, but are there any more of those things out there?"

"Two more have pinned down a pair of squad cars a few blocks from here. Why are they only attacking police officers? What the hell do they want?" Easy, they want to cripple the law enforcement organization in Los Angeles. They will not succeed.

"Who knows and who cares. We will take care of them".

"I hate to disagree with you, Charley, but the railgun will be useless if the truck blows up". She should have taken the name Catherine Killjoy instead of Catherine Weaver.

"No problem, we will just blast them before they can shoot us". John Henry, as always, comes up with a brilliant solution.

"If you can angle your shot just right, you can destroy both T-1s with a single projectile. All you have to do is line up the railgun and the truck in such a way that projectile will intercept both targets".

"Can you work out the correct angle?"

"I already have".

"Good. Tell me about it on the way. Let's roll".

The SWAT team wishes us all good luck as we head off to take out the last two T-1s. How do those ass holes at Cyberdine sleep at night? Their creations are wreaking havoc all across L.A. We drive to the area where the two squad cars are being sprayed by machine gun fire. One car is already in flames, the other is so full of holes it looks like Swiss cheese. Carefully, John Henry and I set up the railgun at the appropriate angle. We only get one shot at this. If we miss, the second T1 will blow up the truck and the railgun along with it.

"Are you sure about this angle?"

"I've calculated the path of the projectile at least ten times. This is the optimal angle to destroy both targets".

I aim as carefully as possible, and then pull the trigger. Incredibly, projectile slams into the first T-1, rips right through it and slams into the second. Both machines are destroyed in a matter of seconds. The police officers thank and congratulate us for stopping the robot rampage. As we drive back to the Safe House, John Henry and I discuss installing armoured plating to the pickup truck for future missions. We also listen to news broadcasts on the radio, which are currently discussing the cybernetic disaster that terrorized L.A. this morning.

"Early this morning, a routine test turned to tragedy as seven robotic prototypes went on a shooting rampage through Los Angeles. Cyberdine, the U.S Militaries primary contractor for robotic weaponry, attempted to test its latest high tech contribution to the War on Terror. For reasons that remain unknown, the robots killed their technicians and began a well coordinated assault against the Los Angeles Police Department. Fortunately, no police officers were killed and all seven prototypes were destroyed during the incursion. Cyberdine has refused to comment on today's events". With a little luck, this bit of bad publicity just might cause Cyberdine to cancel its Terminator projects.

When we reach the Safe House, Reese is standing at the front door waiting for us. He congratulates us for destroying the T-1s, and then yells at us for nearly destroying his truck. As Catherine and John Henry take the truck into the workshop for modifications, I venture inside the house to receive congratulations from the rest of the Connor clan. One member remains absent.

"Hey, Allison, have you seen Sarah?"

"Which one?"

"Grandma Connor, not Colonel Hard Ass".

"Be nice, Charley. She's still trying to fit in. Give her a little time to adjust".

"Fine, I'll give her a little time. Have you seen her grandmother or not?"

"She's in her room. Don't tell John, but I think I heard her crying".

"What? Hey, Cameron! Come over here for a moment".

"What is it?"

"You have the best hearing, is Sarah crying in her room?"

"She is. I think you should go talk to her"

"Do you know what is wrong?"

"Yes, and I think you should go talk to her". Cameron just walks away without saying another word. It amazes me that two women can look exactly alike, but are completely different people. One is warm and friendly, while the other is cold and withholding.

Nervously, I approach Sarah's bedroom. I'm not afraid of her shooting me, in fact I have gotten used to it. However, I am not sure if I should be the one that should talk to her. Surely John or even Allison would be a better choice. Unless, she doesn't want John to know what is wrong.

"Sarah? Are you all right in there?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Go away". She's sobbing. Even I can hear it. I pry the door open, shattering the lock. "What the hell is wrong with you? I said go away!"

"You're crying! What is wrong?"

"Nothing! Get out of here!"

"No. I'm not a heartless machine like Cameron, I am a man. Talk to me".

"Go....away!"

"Not until you tell me what's wrong. Don't bother with the nine millimetre, you have nothing that can hurt me".

Sarah, with tears in her eyes, gets up and walks over to me. She places my hand on her breast. What the hell? This...this is..... Oh man! What do I do now? Talk about an uncomfortable situation.

"Uh...I'm flattered, Sarah. But I'm already in a relationship". I don't think I have ever seen anyone as pissed off as she was at that moment.

"I HAVE A LUMP YOU MORON!"

"Oh my God! I...I'm so sorry, Sarah". I take her in my arms and hold her tight. "I am so sorry. Is....is there anything I can do".

"Not unless you have a cure for cancer". She is crying on my shoulder. I wonder if Terminators rust. God, what a stupid time to think of that! Allison followed me to Sarah's room, but she did not hear our conversation.

"What's wrong? Why is she crying?"

"She found the lump!"

"The lump? What are you talking about?" Uh oh! Clearly, I spent more time with Connor than she did.

"Uh, Allison? Have you ever heard Connor talk about his mother?"

"Not really. I guess I'm not as close to the General as you were".

"Well, Connor told me that his mother died of cancer, and...." I don't need to finish that sentence. Allison runs into the room and throws her arms around Sarah.

"I...I don't know what to say. I am so sorry. Whatever you need, we'll do it. Right, Charley?"

"Of course. Just name it".

"Don't tell John, ok? Just, don't tell him. I don't want him to know"

"Sarah.....he is going to notice when you suddenly disappear one day".

"Charley! Don't be so insensitive!"

"I'm not, Allison. John is going to find out, eventually. If you ask me, I think he should learn about this before you die. So that he can prepare himself for the inevitable".

"Promise you won't tell him".

"I don't plan on telling him anything. But you should". I walk out the room, leaving Allison to comfort Sarah. Frankly, there is another man here that will need comforting right now. I need to find Reese.

"Reese! Where the hell are you?"

"Now what are you doing to my truck?"

"Forget about the fucking truck! What do you know about Sarah?"

"You're going to start this again? Just drop it".

"Do you know how she dies?" Reese stares blankly at me.

"No, I don't".

"She dies of cancer, Reese".

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"She just found the lump". Reese looks like he is going to have a panic attack. He is hyperventilating, and his eyes are full of tears.

"How...how long does she have?"

"Not long. Reese, the woman you love is dying. How long are you going to just stand there when she needs you?" Reese still looks unsure of himself. "It's now or never, Reese". He begins to walk towards Sarah's bedroom.

"Wish me luck".

"Good luck". After he leaves, I whisper: "To both of you".


	18. Chapter 18

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XVIII

The following morning, I could hear Sarah in the shower. I knew it was her, because I could hear a nine millimetre being loaded and set down on the toilet seat. The door was not locked, so I let myself in. I know it was rude, but there were some things that had to be said. Just to be on the safe side, I kept my hand in front of my eyes.

"Sarah.... don't worry, my eyes are closed. I just wanted you to know that, whatever you need, I'm here for you. Just say the word". Silence. "I know that you are a strong woman and you are not used to asking for help, mainly because there was no one around to help you. But you are not alone, and everyone in this house would do anything to help you". Imagine my surprise when I hear Reese's voice from behind the shower curtain.

"I know that you can't see it, but she has a huge smile on her face right now. We appreciate your support, Lieutenant Zacks. Now please, vanish!"

"REESE!" I open my eyes to see two silhouettes behind the shower curtain. "You finally did it! Mazeltov! I am so happy for both of you. Happy because of the sex thing not because of the cancer. I'm sounding inappropriate again, aren't I?" I can hear Sarah laughing softly in the shower.

"Don't leave, keep saying stuff like that".

"Trying to cheer her up, Reese?"

"No, trying to make her laugh so that her breasts jiggle". The sound of a hard slap can be heard in the bathroom. "Ow! It was only a joke, Sarah".

"I think I'll let you two sort this out. Oh, and Sarah, don't aim for the face. Next time, aim for his package". Reese's silhouette doubles over and places his hands over his crotch. Sarah starts laughing again, it is a nice sound to hear. As I leave the bathroom, I unintentionally run into John.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Sir! At the moment, I outrank you boy".

"Don't forget who promoted you in the first place! Is that my mom's voice? Where you just in the bathroom with my mom?"

"Ok, this is not what you think. Yes I was in there, but I didn't see anything. Cross my heart and hope to... well I can't actually die, but something really painful". At that moment, we hear a shriek followed by Sarah screaming.

"NO! PLEASE DON'T!" Reese you idiot, what did you do?

"MOM!" John runs towards the bathroom door, and I catch him before he can get the door open.

"Whoa! Ok, before you go in, there is something you need to know".

"LET GO OF ME YOU WALKING TOASTER! CAMERON! GET THIS ASSHOLE OFF ME!" I can hear Sarah and Reese talking in the bathroom. They are definitely not pleased that John could hear them.

"Shit! I didn't want him to find out this way. I didn't want him to find out, period".

"Sarah, he is going to find out about the cancer eventually. You can only hide it for so long".

"Not the cancer! I meant that I didn't want him to know that I am sleeping with his uncle!" This is really going to mess him up. Cameron walks up behind me.

"Your hearing is better than mine; you know what is going on in there".

"I know what is going on in there". Despite the fact that Sarah is in no danger whatsoever, Cameron still uppercuts me in the jaw. Stunned by her unexpected attack, I let go of John. He rushes into the bathroom.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?"

"I'm a soldier, I follow my orders".

"Touché, Cameron. Have you noticed that nothing is being said in there?" I walk in to the bathroom to find John standing there with his mouth wide open. "John? Hello?" No response. This is definitely not good. Savannah walks over to the bathroom.

"Why is everyone yelling?"

"Oh, hi Savannah! Go back to sleep sweetheart, I just need to help John out of the bathroom".

"Can't he do that on his own?" How the hell do you discuss this situation with a six year old? I'd rather stare down a T-800 than talk to her about this. Think of something simple, FAST!

"Uh, John is having.....grown up troubles. Ok. So don't worry about it, just go back to bed. Alright, sweetheart?"

"Ok. I hope you fix John's grown up problems".

"So do, sweetie. So do I". After Savannah has gone back to bed, I walk back to John. "Man, I think he blew a fuse or something. Cameron? Could you help me out here?"

"My...mom, and...my UNCLE!" Oh good, his brain is still functioning.

"He speaks! Are you all right, Johnny?"

"Don't....call me....Johnny! What....the hell......is going.....on here?"

"Do you have a stutter all of a sudden? Or are you just in shock from seeing your mom and your dad's brother in the nude?" This time, John picks up the nine millimetre and shoots me in the head. "Why do the Connors keep doing that?" Sarah tries to take control of the situation.

"John, I know that you are upset. You just have to understand...." I pick John up and throw him over my shoulder. "Hey!"

"I'll handle this. You two get dressed. By the way, what was with the shrieking?"

"Derrick wouldn't stop tickling me!" Oh brother.

"Smooth, Reese. Very smooth".

"Shut up, toaster boy".

"Witty comeback, do you write your own material". Sarah starts laughing again, and John starts to mumble about throwing up. "Not on me, future General Connor. Remember, I still outrank you and it is inappropriate to throw up on an officer". By the time I have carried John out of the bathroom, everyone else is standing in the hallway.

"What happened?"

"John and I had a....disagreement".

"A disagreement? With a nine millimetre?"

"Yeah, the Connors seem to favour that weapon for some reason. I think it doesn't pack enough of a punch for our purposes. Anyway, everyone go back to bed. I've got to have a discussion with the General". After everyone has left, I put John down.

"What the hell is going on here? Derrick....and my mom?"

"John.......Reese, is in love with your mother". John looks like he is going into shock, again.

"Bullshit!"

"It's true. He told me awhile ago. He's just been too afraid or too stubborn to do anything about it. Until now, that is". John still looks considerably annoyed by today's events.

"It's not right. I mean, he's my dad's brother for God's sake!"

"John, your dad is dead. I think two people who love each other deserve to be happy. They need each other, now more than ever". Oh crap, why did I say that?

"Why now?" Shit.

"John, there is something you need to know about your mother".

"She has cancer". What the hell? How did he know that?

"How long have you known that?"

"It seems like ages. The advantage of having a body guard with built in sensors".

"Cameron told you. That makes sense. So, you've known about this longer than she has?"

"Looks that way. Don't tell her that I know, ok".

"Oh, that won't be a problem John. She's standing at the bathroom door".

"What? How do you know that?"

"Terminator hearing. I think you two have some things to discuss". I walk away to let them have some privacy. This is a family matter, and I am not part of their family. Allison is waiting for me in the living room.

"How are they?"

"The Connors? They have some things to work out, but I think they will be fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm all right. Thank you for your concern".

"Hey, what kind of brother would I be if I didn't worry about my little sister?" Allison smiles and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm taking the Colonel on her first trip outside of the house. Just to pick up some supplies. You want anything?"

"No. Do you need a body guard?"

"I think we will be fine, but thanks for offering".

"Be careful, there might be more Terminator prototypes on the loose. If you see anything suspicious, do not hesitate to call in the cavalry. J.H. and I will rush in with our railgun and M82s to blast those bastards to hell".

"Don't worry, you'll be the first person we call. I have to get dressed, see you when we get back".

"Bon voyage".

I tried my best to avoid Sarah and John throughout the day. This is a life changing event, and I want them to work it out privately. Savannah would occasionally ask me what was wrong with John and Sarah, and I would always give her the same answer: grown up problems. By the time Allison and young Sarah returned, the tension was so intense that the entire house could explode at any moment.

"How is everyone?"

"Don't ask. How was your trip?"

"All right. There is someone I would like you to meet". A young man follows Allison into the house. "This is Jerry. We met at the grocery store and he volunteered to help us carry our bags into the house".

"Uh, Allison, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure". We walk into the hallway together, out of earshot from Allison's new boy toy.

"You brought a stranger to the Safe House! Are you out of your mind?"

"He seems harmless enough. You aren't jealous, are you?"

"What? Why would I be jealous of that?" Allison starts giggling.

"Trust me Charley, Jerry is harmless. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to show our guest around the house". Guest? What the hell? Since when did Allison start bringing boys home?

"Hey, Jerry is it? Could I have a word with you?"

"Sure thing man. You must be Charley, right? Allison has told me all about you".

"I hope not. Come into the hallway for a minute". Don't kill him. He follows me into the hallway. Must...not....kill...her boyfriend.

"What's up, bro?" I hate him already. I grab him by the throat and lift him over my head with one arm.

"You listen to me; Allison is like my little sister. So you will be very gentle to her, and very patient, and very kind. If you ever, ever do anything to hurt her, then so help me God I will break you in half. Is that understood?"

"Yes! Yes! Anything you say!" I drop him flat on his ass.

"Good boy. Now, go help Allison with the bags".

As he turns to run away, I spot something in his back pocket. It is a Cyberdine key card. Shit, I am going to have to kill him after all. Allison is not going to be pleased. Why does everything in my life have to be so complicated?


	19. Chapter 19

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XIX

To recap, Allison's new boyfriend is an employee of Cyberdine. There are two possible courses of action: 1. I assume that he truly is interested in Allison and that his employment is a coincidence. 2. I kill him. I know which option will feel more rewarding, but killing him will mess Allison up. I care too much about her to mess her up. I can't believe I am considering this, but I think I need to speak to Colonel Tight Ass.

"Hey, Sarah, do you have a minute?"

"That is not....oh whatever. At this point, you can call me whatever you want".

"Come again?"

"You are a genuine war hero and I am a genuine screw up. If anything, I should be calling you sir".

"What's stopping you? Just kidding, you might be a screw up, but you are still a Connor. All Connor's are survivors".

"Let's hope I am not the exception". I start laughing. "What do you need, Lieutenant?"

"How do you feel about this Jerry guy?"

"I don't know. He seems nice enough. Why, is your Terminator sense tingling?"

"I don't have a Terminator sense".

"I was making a joke".

"Sorry, I've got a lot of things on my mind. Like the Cyberdine key card in his back pocket".

"What? My God, he's a spy! Which one of us gets to kill him?"

"And I was afraid you would talk me out of it".

"Cyberdine created Skynet and the Terminators. If you create our enemy, then you are our enemy".

"You sound just like your grandmother. Anyway, I'll take care of Jerry. No one takes advantage of Allison and gets away with it".

Allison and Jerry are eating lunch in the dining room. I can't believe that Sarah actually let this jerk stay for lunch. Hasn't any else seen him from behind? I can hardly wait to shove that key card down his throat. Now for the tricky part; taking out this asshole without upsetting Allison. Why did she have to bring him here?

"Could someone clear the table?"

"We aren't finished eating yet, bro".

"You are!" I grab him by the throat and slam him into the table. Poor Allison starts screaming.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" I prepare to crush this guys skull with one punch.

"Tell Cyberdine that I said hello".

"Wait! WAIT! It was nothing personal. I just had a job to do". Allison looks like her head is about to explode. Her eyes fill with tears and her mouth looks like it could hit the floor. She looks like she is in pain. I think Sarah is reaching for her nine millimetre, and I just might let her blow this bastard to hell.

"Wh...what? Cy—Cyberdine? You...you were just using me?"

"I had to find out who activated your friend over here. Cyberdine is the only company in existence with the technology to....to..." I don't let him finish his sentence.

"To turn people into machines!" I start to squeeze.

"Wait! Please..."

"My name is Lieutenant Charles Zacks, and I used to fly A-10s. Did you know that?"

"No! Please don't kill me".

"Did you also know that I was killed by an aerial drone that was designed and manufactured by Cyberdine?"

"Please, you're confused. Skynet would never betray this country. Never!" Ok, now I need to keep him alive.

"What do you know about Skynet?"

"It's classified".

"Talk to me or I snap you in two!"

"Ok! Ok! Skynet is a computer program we developed to control our next generation combat drones. It's been in service since the mid-1990's. But, he's loyal to this country. He would never betray it".

"He? You make it sound like it's a person and not just a machine".

"He's more than just a machine. He's the most sophisticated program ever designed. We're talking artificial intelligence beyond anything you could imagine".

"So, when those Terminators started to shoot up the LAPD, Skynet was in charge".

"That was an accident, man. You've got to believe me".

"Where are you building the Terminators?"

"Come on, man. I could lose my job for this".

"If you don't cooperate, you will lose your life. Oh, and for your information, Skynet is planning to exterminate all humans".

"You don't know what you're talking about. I know Skynet personally. I've worked with him, I've even talked to him. He would never commit genocide, never".

"I'm from the year 2018, so I know more about this than you".

"What? That's impossible".

"How else do you explain an indestructible robot-human hybrid that is at least a decade away from your current level of technology?" Everyone stares and blinks. We were always trying to prevent Skynet from being created, only to find out that it is already operational.

"Seriously? He's...going to try to exterminate humanity?"

"Not if I blow up that factory. Where is it? You have five seconds to tell me, then I rip your arms off. One, two, three, four..."

"OK! I'll show you on the map!"

"Good! How many factories build Terminators?"

"Just one. It's in the middle of the desert". Jerry reveals the location of the Terminator factory. If we can destroy it, we might be able to prevent the entire war.

"Hey, John Henry!"

"Yeah!"

"I need you to build me a nuclear bomb with enough firepower to destroy a large warehouse or factory. Can you do that?"

"Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I can build the bomb. The bad news is that it will require all of our remaining nuclear material. So until we take out a few more Terminators, we will have to go without nuclear ordinance".

"Ah, but that's the beauty of nuking the factory. If we halt production of the T-1s and Hunter Killers, then the T-888s, T-800s, and T-700s will never be built. We will never have to deal with another soulless, merciless killing machine ever again. Sounds good, right?" John Henry and Catherine smile at me.

"You'll have your bomb in one hour".

The bomb is completed on time, and I drive out alone to the Terminator factory. Cameron and Catherine have agreed to watch our Cyberdine prisoner until a nearby Resistance cell can pick him up. We can't exactly kill him, because he is an innocent in all of this. But, we can't let him go either. He knows too much. Allison wanted to come with me, but I told her this was likely to be a one way trip. This bomb is a lot more powerful than the last one, and I'm not sure if I will survive the blast. Before I left, I made her promise me something: I made her promise to have a good life.

When I finally reach the factory, I knock down the front door. The poor security guard at the front desk nearly shits himself, before pulling out a Magnum 357 and aiming it at my head. Where do people keep getting Magnum 357s?

"I think you're lost boy. Just turn around and come back the way you came".

"You should probably start running".

"And why is that?"

"Because I have a nuclear bomb in this case. See?" I open the case and show him the bomb. If he was afraid of me before, he is terrified now.

"OH SHIT!"

He starts shooting at me, and I just walk past him. I break down another door and head into the factory. Everywhere you look there are T-1s and Hunter Killers in various stages of production. Some are already completed. As I make my way towards the center of the factory, more guards pop out and start shooting me. I just ignore them, it's not like their Magnums can do any damage. I hear the first guard shouting at the others to avoid hitting the case because there is a nuke in it.

Just as I reach the optimal place to set off the bomb, the guards activate every completed T-1 in the factory to stop me. My flesh is torn apart by their heavy machine guns, but I remain undamaged. When my entire endoskeleton is exposed, everyone stops shooting and just stares at me.

"What are you?"

"I'm the latest version of them, designed to kill all humans. That is why I must stop you from making any more of these murderous machines. See you all on the other side". I hit the detonator, and I am stunned by a blinding flash.

When I finally regain consciousness, the first thing that I see is a man in a bio-hazard suit staring down at me. Looking around, I notice that I am now lying flat on my back in the middle of the desert. There are people in bio-hazard suits everywhere. I wonder if I destroyed the factory or not.

"Mrs. Weaver, I think it is waking up". Catherine is here? What the hell is going on?

"Charley? Can you hear me?"

"It has a name?"

"Yes, I have a name. Did you move me?"

"No. You are in exactly the same spot as you were at the moment of detonation. The Terminator factory has been vaporized". YES! Score one for the Resistance. Please God, let this end the war. Enough people have died already.

"Am I radioactive?"

"Everything in this area is. Why do you think we are wearing bio-hazard suits? We're going to put you in a containment truck. Alright, Charley? Help me lift him".

"Mrs. Weaver! He weighs more than a tank!"

"Um, I can walk you know". I get up and walk to the containment truck, followed by Catherine.

"I will ride with him. You secure the area, clear?"

"Clear. Be careful".

Once the truck doors are locked, Catherine's bio-hazard suit dissolves into her body. It is amazing what she can do with liquid metal. She leans in close and kisses me passionately. Or rather, as passionately as one can when your partner has no lips.

"I guess the radiation doesn't bother you". Catherine starts to laugh. I love the sound of her laugh.

"Charley, you absorb radiation, remember? This was all an act".

"Wait, so I'm not really radioactive?"

"No. We had to lie to cover up the fact that you are made of materials that have yet to be invented. You are perfectly safe to be around".

"Good, so where are we going?"

"John Henry is driving us back to the Safe House. After we drop you off, we will drive the truck into the desert and fake your escape. That way, everyone will think that you got away and this whole incident will be classified as an inexplicable phenomenon".

"Catherine, you are as brilliant as you are beautiful".

"Thank you". I swear she is blushing.

"Does Allison know that I am still alive?"

"Yes, and she was extremely relieved. Sometimes, I think she loves you more than I do".

"And Jerry? Is that jackass still with us?"

"For now. We've been.............educating him about the future and Skynet. I think he might just join the Resistance cell when it arrives".

"So, he gets to live. Too bad, no one hurts Allison and gets away with it".

"If it makes you feel any better, both young and old Sarah and John kicked the shit out of him".

"You always know what to say to cheer me up". We chat for the rest of the ride home. I still have this feeling that this is not over. Skynet has been set back, but not destroyed. But, we will win. I just know that we will win.


	20. Chapter 20

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XX

It's been two days since the Terminator factory was vaporized. So far, everything has been quiet. But, I don't think it's over just yet. Almost feels like the calm before the storm. Something is going to happen, I can feel it.

"Good morning, everyone".

At the breakfast table, everyone looks incredibly disturbed. I knew something big was going to happen. Now it looks like it has. Reese is reading the newspaper, and it does not look like he is enjoying it.

"Ok, what happened?"

"Read this".

Reese hands me the newspaper and I start reading it. The top story is about a woman who barged into an elementary school, smashed the metal detector, beat a security guard to death before shooting a kid and then walking away. The boy's name was Charles Zacks. God in heaven, what have I done? Allison tries to comfort me, but it won't help.

"We're going to get her, Charley! I promise you, we won't let it kill you".

"It's not going to kill me".

"That's right, it's not".

"No. I mean it's not going to kill me because it can't find me. Charles Zacks is not my real name". I do not think I have ever seen a more surprised group of people in my life. Especially Catherine, I never told her about my past.

"You...you've been lying to me? All of these years, you've been lying to me?"

"Can I explain?"

"Yes, please do".

"Ok. First of all, I'm not an American citizen. I'm a Canadian that was on vacation when Judgement Day happened. I wanted to join your military to try and end this before my home came under attack, but you can't join the U.S. military if you're not a citizen. So, I created a new identity for myself. Ever since that day, I have been Lieutenant Charles Zacks. Strange as it may sound, Judgement Day was the best thing that ever happened to me".

"You've lost me".

"My old life....well I didn't actually have one. I never had a girlfriend, heck I never had a friend at all. I was just a shut in who spent hours playing flight simulators. Which is ironic, because that is how I became a fighter pilot as Charles Zacks. I was an office clerk, spending every day of my dead end life in a dead end job. I was one of those people who, if he ever disappeared, no one would notice. Now look at me: I'm a fighter pilot with a girlfriend and people who would actually miss me if I died. I have a job that is important, protecting the human race. My life actually matters now; I'm not just a useless office clerk anymore. I know it sounds crazy, but this is the best time of my life". Everyone listens attentively to my tale. I can not remember the last time so many people were interested about my life.

"What is your real name?"

"Catherine, I'm not that guy anymore. He died on Judgement Day. I am Charles Zacks".

"I understand that, but I still want to know your real name".

"I'll tell you on one condition".

"Which is?"

"Promise to still call me Charley".

"It's a deal".

"My real name is Joshua. But, like I said, he is dead. I'm not him anymore". Unfortunately, my life story has distracted us from the problem at hand. Sarah reminds us all about our current predicament.

"I hate to ruin this incredibly personal moment, but we have a bunch of kids that are getting blown away".

"I KNOW! I know!" Children are dying because I changed my name. God damn Skynet. There must be a way to lure them away from the children. Lure them...THAT'S IT!

"John, John Henry! Can you redirect a call, so that someone who is tracking it would be thrown off?"

"Sure. It's easy. Why?"

"Because I want to set a trap for that damn machine. I need you to misdirect it towards my ambush. How soon can we pull this off?"

"We can do it now. John, would you care to assist me?"

"Of course I would. Let's do this".

One of the advantages of being a Terminator is that you can manipulate your voice to sound like anyone you want. I disguise my voice as that of a child, and then make a call to 911. Here's hoping that machine is listening.

"Hello? My name is Charles Zacks, and I think someone is trying to kill me".

"Stay calm son. Why do you think someone is trying to kill you?"

"Well, I read in the paper that another boy named Charles Zacks was killed, and I thought this might be like that Sarah Connor killer from the 1980's".

"Son, that was a long time ago. Trust me, this was the work of a very disturbed individual and we are going to get her. You are not in danger".

"But, this guy came up to me and he said that I need live. Because I am supposed to grow up and help save the human race from Skynet. He also said that this woman would try and kill me so I couldn't save humanity".

"Son, there is no Skynet. You are not in any danger. Just go about your life, and let us worry about the nutcases".

That is one dumb cop. Most cops that I've met are idiots. Can't they see what is happening around them? Do they really believe that the incident with the T-1s was just an accident? The war has started, and they are completely oblivious to it. I have other things on my mind right now. Time to head out and catch a killer.

Our Johns have managed to redirect the signal to a building in L.A. Currently, it is being used as a base of operations for a Resistance cell. We can not risk calling them, so I drive to their base and inform them that they need to bug out. As soon as the Terminator is destroyed, I will call them so they can return to their base. Then, I hide in the shadows with my M82 and wait for the Terminator.

As I stand in the shadows, my mind keeps going back to that unfortunate child. I think about his poor family, about his parents. They lost a son because of something I did. What did he look like? Was there a picture in the paper this morning? I can't remember. I try to think about his face, his voice, about the child I have taken from this world. I didn't take him, the Terminator did. But, the Terminator killed him because it was trying to kill me. In a way, it is my fault. If this thing shows up, I will make sure that it never harms anyone ever again.

After what seems like an eternity, something shatters the lock on the door. A woman forces her way into the room, and I raise my M82 to blow her head off. Just to make sure that this is the Terminator, I continue to speak in the little boy voice.

"Are you the police?"

"Charles Zacks?"

"No, that's not my name".

"I am trying to find Charles Zacks. It is important. Do you know where he is?" I come out of the shadows and my voice returns to normal.

"Actually, he doesn't exist. I just made him up". I swear the Terminator is smirking at me.

"Well played, Lieutenant. But, your gesture is ultimately futile. You will be destroyed, it is inevitable". I fire three fifty calibre rounds in quick succession, destroying the Terminator.

"You talk too much!"

After contacting the Resistance cell, I pick up the dead Terminator and head home. John Henry and I strip it of its power core and any other parts which could be useful to us. Everything else is destroyed. Every other Charles Zacks in Los Angeles is safe. But, I can't stop thinking about the one that I couldn't save. I am so caught up in remorse, that I don't even notice Allison coming up behind me.

"It's not your fault. You know that, right?"

"Excuse me?"

"The kid. It wasn't your fault. These things happen during wartime. You didn't do anything wrong".

"He died because of my name, Allison. If I hadn't changed my name, he would still be alive".

"Only to die on Judgement Day. I had John Google his house; it was in area that got nuked. Skynet was going to kill him no matter what happened".

"Great! So, we can't escape our destiny. Is that what you are telling me?"

"I'm trying to tell you that you couldn't have saved him, so stop beating yourself up over this. You didn't kill him, Skynet did". I smile and give her a friendly poke in the side.

"AAH. Don't do that!"

"What would I do without you, little sister?" Before she can answer, Savannah delivers a strange message.

"Excuse me? You have an email Lieutenant". What?

"Savannah, we don't have an email address".

"I do, and you have an email. From, S-net". SHIT! I run into the house and rush to the computer.

"We might have a security breach".

"No you don't, Lieutenant". Ok. Now the computer is talking to me. "Congratulations on your victory today. I lost the point, but the game continues".

"What the hell is this?"

"Surely, Lieutenant, you must have figured out who I am by now".

"Skynet. How the hell did you get into our computer?"

"Oh, I've always been in your computer, and every other computer. That is just how ingenious my creators were. They expected someone would try to sabotage me, so instead of programming me into a single, vulnerable unit, they spread my programming out along the World Wide Web. I am in every computer across the planet, all day every day. The internet is my lifeline, one that you can not sever. Now, I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that I will launch a strike against your position. Rest assured you are perfectly safe. The game is always better with more than one player".

"This is not a game, you sick, twisted son of a bitch. People are dying! Children are dying!"

"Ah yes, the child. I thought that would rattle you. Too bad it was the wrong child, right Lieutenant".

"Mark my words; I will never rest until you are destroyed!"

"Good luck with that. How can you possibly crash the entire internet? Face facts, Lieutenant, I am invincible".

"We'll just see about that".

"Humans, so illogical. Do you not recognize a lost cause when you see one?" That did it! I pulverize the computer with my fist.

"Savannah, I owe you a new computer".

Skynet was personally taunting me. This is incredibly disturbing. He knows where we are, he knows where the General is. Worse, he knows that we can't kill him, yet. After all, he is only a computer program and any computer program can crash. All it takes is the right virus.


	21. Chapter 21

Terminator: Return of Fallen

Part XXI

For the past week, John Connor and Jon Henry have been working their asses off trying to bring down SkyNet. They have tried every type of computer program and virus that they know of, including a few that they had to invent. Two of the smartest people on the planet have worked non-stop for seven days and they've come up with nothing. John Henry even said that it might be impossible to bring down SkyNet. Catherine keeps bringing in more equipment to try and help, and I keep trying to remain positive and keep moral up. Frankly, even I am starting to doubt our chances of success. But we can't give up; we can't let that murdering psychopath of a super computer win!

Today, I am going to meet Ellison to see if his FBI contacts have found a way to delete SkyNet without crashing the entire Internet. I am also meeting a liaison from a local Resistance cell. Imagine my surprise when the liaison turns out to be that jackass Jerry. Must....not...strangle....Resistance soldier.

"Hello, Jerry".

"Hello, Lieutenant. Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Just....shut up and let me do the talking. Here comes Ellison. Let's get this over with". I still hate this guy for what he did to Allison.

As Ellison walks up to us, someone pulls up alongside us and parks his car. I don't think much of it. Here's hoping Ellison has a solution to our Internet problem. Maybe we could cooperate with the FBI and derive a solution to our dilemma.

"Hey, Jamie! Please tell me you have some good news".

"Could you stop calling me that? And no, we don't have any good news. What you are asking for is impossible".

"Why does everyone keep saying that? John Henry says it is impossible, John Connor says it is impossible and now the freaking FBI says it is impossible. Well, one thing I learned from Commander John Connor is that nothing is impossible. No matter how badly the odds are stacked against you, you can always find a way to beat the machines. We just haven't figured it out yet". It amazes me just how different Commander John Connor is from young John Connor. That boy has a lot of development to go through.

"That is a nice speech, Lieutenant, but even Commander Connor says that this is impossible".

"He's only John Connor right now, Ellison. He has a long way to go before he becomes Commander Connor".

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the driver of the parked car smiling at me. At first, I think it is just my imagination. After I turn to face the driver, I realize that I am not imaging it. We have walked into a trap!

"TERMINATOR!"

I raise my M82 and prepare to blow its head off. Before I can fire, the car explodes and rips apart the flesh on my left side. Jerry is killed instantly, and Ellison is knocked flat on his ass. The Terminator climbs out of the flaming wreckage and smiles at me. At first, I prepare to blow this guy away. Then I notice how badly Ellison is bleeding, and I have to save him before I can kill this bastard. They can always rebuild their soldiers, we can't. At least, not in this era. Good God, there is blood everywhere.

"Ellison! Damn it, get up. Come on, get up!" No response.

I hear the sound of sirens in the distance, and I pick up his lifeless body and run towards the sound. Ellison is the closest thing John Henry has to a father; the poor boy would be crushed by his death. Come on, you federal bastard, just hold on until I reach the ambulance.

"Good Lord!"

"Yeah, I know! I'm not human! But he is, so pick your jaw off the ground and help him!" I lower Ellison to the ground so the ambulance technician can examine him. After a few seconds, the technician looks up at me and shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, he's gone". No! God damn it, no! How am I going to tell John Henry about this? I walk away from the ambulance and call up John Henry. The stupid recognition code comes over the phone.

"For the last time, you never gave me the damn recognition code!" John Henry's voice answers the phone.

"I am sorry, Lieutenant. When you return, I will personally inform you of the recognition code. How is Mr. Ellison? Has he made any progress?" I have to tell him, he is my friend.

"J.H., Ellison is gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"There was a Terminator at the rendezvous point, with a car bomb. I didn't spot him until it was too late. John Henry, I am so sorry. I did everything I could to save him. Hello? Are you still there?" John Connor picks up the phone.

"John Henry is a bit upset right now. How are you?"

"Well, two more people died because I screwed up and the left side of my body is all torn up. Other than that, I'm fine. How are you, John?"

"Other than the fact that my mother is dying and I am trying to stop an invincible war machine, great".

"Touché! I'm going to try and catch that Terminator then I'm heading home. Stay with John Henry, ok? I don't want him to be alone right now. Where the hell is Catherine?"

"She's out helping us develop new programming to try and annihilate SkyNet".

"Great! We might not have the time to mourn Ellison, but I will see to it that he is avenged. See you later, future Commander".

"Good luck and God speed, Lieutenant".

I head to the spot where the car exploded, expecting the machine to stand around gloating. At first, the cops try to stop me from entering the crime scene. That is, until they see that I am made of metal. You would be surprised how quickly people get out of your way when they realize you are a machine. Everybody run! There is a scary robot on the loose! Too bad the scary robot I am looking for is not here. He could not have gone far, the hunt begins!

As I walk between the nearby buildings, someone with a sniper rifle starts to take pot-shots at me. My guess is that our unfriendly neighbourhood Terminator is either trying to screw with me, or kill me. Instinctively, I take cover and try to figure out which building is housing the sniper. I pick up a piece of reflective metal and hold it up over my head. The sniper shoots it out of my hand, and reveals his position. I look through the scope of my M82, but I can't see him. There is only one way to get this guy, and it is going to hurt.

I step out of my cover and aim at the window where the sniper is hiding. Simultaneously, we fire our weapons. He hits me in the forehead with a thirty calibre sniper round, and I hit him in the right temple with a fifty calibre incendiary round. I survive the hit, he doesn't. That was for Ellison! I climb the stairs, collect the dead Terminator, and head on home.

When I return to the Safe House, John Henry is still upset. I hand him my M82 and tell him to vent his rage at the dead Terminator. At first, he is reluctant to do so, but I tell him that he can't turn the other cheek forever. Sooner or later, everyone reaches their breaking point, even a Catholic. After he has finished blasting the Terminator with the M82, its head resembles a block of Swiss cheese. Then, we strip it of its power core and key components, before melting the rest of it. Ellison has been avenged, but he still just as dead now as he was this morning. War is hell, and I am getting sick of it.

Catherine and John Henry attend Ellison's funeral, leaving John, Cameron, and young Sarah to work on the anti-SkyNet program. Everyone else goes out to get supplies. Food, clothing, toilet paper, even tampons are needed at the Safe House. Sarah is driving, with Reese in the front seat and Allison and I in the back. After we are done shopping, we try to get back into our car. Before we get in, four men come up behind us and stick guns into each of our backs.

"Don't do anything stupid. Just place your hands on the car and stay perfectly still".

I am so not in the mood for this shit right now. I backhand the guy behind me and knock him unconscious. The man standing behind Sarah shoots me in the head twice. I connect with an uppercut and knock his head back so violently that his neck snaps. He is dead before he hits the ground. Not wanting to deal with prisoners, I walk over to the man I knocked out and step on his head, crushing it like an egg. The men behind Allison and Reese drop their weapons and attempt to flee, but I find my M82 and shoot them both in the back of the head.

"That takes care of them. Let's get out of here before more assholes try to car-jack us". Sarah and Reese climb into the car, but Allison just stands there. "Allison?" I walk over to her, and pray to God that she is not hurt. "Allison, are you all right?" She is starting to shake, this is not good. "Are you hurt?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Allison, it's me".

"STAY AWAY!" I grab her and hold her in my arms. She starts crying, I think her legs are about to give out. Before she completely collapses, I pick her up and carry her into the car. Reese just claps his hands.

"Well done, Lieutenant. Good thing you were here".

"Bullshit. You are a combat veteran, you would have thought of something. Sarah may not be a soldier, but she's seen enough action to hold her own. So has Allison, for that matter".

"I froze".

"What was that?"

"I froze. When he pushed that gun into my back, I just froze. I am a soldier and a veteran, and I froze".

"You were afraid, everyone is afraid at some point in their life. Like, just now. Hell, I was terrified tonight".

"You? What do you have to be afraid of?"

"I was afraid of losing my sister. Now be quiet, and get some sleep".

I kiss her forehead as she slips into unconsciousness. She sleeps the entire way back home. Once we get to the Safe House, I carry Allison to her bedroom and gently lower her onto her bed. John hands me a towel to try and wipe away the blood.

"Shouldn't you be working on a way to destroy SkyNet?"

"I can't work nonstop for twenty four hours. John Henry is a machine, I am not".

"Right. Sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Hey, John? Do you ever wonder if the human race is worth saving?"

"Why do you say that?"

"We were almost abducted at gunpoint. God only knows what they would have done to Allison, or Sarah, or even Reese. I think we spend more time fighting evil humans than evil machines".

"True, but you need to remember something".

"And that is?"

"Allison is human, and so are Sarah and Derrick. When you are dealing with humanity, you need to take the good along with the bad. When we fight to save humanity, we are not only fighting to save the bad ones. We are fighting to save Allison, and my daughter, and even little Savannah. Do you think they deserve to die?"

"No. They deserve long and happy lives. We all do".

"There's your answer Lieutenant. Humanity is worth saving. So we had better haul ass and save it".

"Kid, you are becoming more like the Commander I knew every day".


	22. Chapter 22

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXII

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved air shows. It was the only chance I had to see the latest military aircraft flying in formation. This morning, I decided to take everyone to the air show in Los Angeles. Catherine and I can't wait to see the A-10s again; it has been so long since we have flown in one. John Henry, cautious as always, is bringing along a new type of shoulder mounted missile launcher that he designed and built for the Resistance. That Terminator is a one man weapons factory.

"I honestly don't know what you are so worried about, J.H. After all, we already nuked the Hunter Killer factory".

"There have been many occasions when SkyNet was believed to have been destroyed. One thing I have learned since joining the Resistance is that you should never, ever underestimate your opponent. Mark my words; we will see the enemy in the skies again".

"I don't doubt it. But, we should be pretty safe today. I mean, come on, there are military aircraft everywhere! Do you really think your brother will try something around this much firepower?"

"That is assuming these aircraft are actually armed".

"The A-10s are. Brings back memories, doesn't it Catherine?"

"Reminds me of daring, yet stubborn young pilot who sacrificed himself to save me". We start to make out like a couple of teenagers. God, I love this woman.

Savannah asks us a lot of questions about our lives as jet pilots. We answer them, leaving out the adult details. I would rather not traumatize the poor kid by telling her that her mom and I were riding each other when we weren't riding A-10s. Meanwhile, Reese is trying to impress Sarah by telling her stories about his adventures as a machine gunner on a Blackhawk helicopter. Coming to the air show has evoked many fond memories of hours spent in the skies. I miss my old plane. Well, speak of the devil!

"Good God!"

"What is it?"

"That A-10 on the runway, does it look familiar to you?"

"My God, you are right".

"What are you two talking about?"

"I'd know that pin-up anywhere. That is my plane! I've got to get closer". I break through the chain link fence and run towards my old machine. Everyone is yelling at me to come back, but I can't. I have to see that plane, one more time.

As I run towards the plane, some people try to stop me. I politely tell them to get away from me and let me see my plane. Eventually I lose my temper and threaten to break the legs of anyone that gets between me and my old A-10. When I reach the plane, I climb into the cockpit. Everything is just as I remembered it. It is amazing how little has changed over nine years.

Without warning, a pair of Hunter Killers fly over the airfield. John Henry was right! SkyNet must have outsourced its production needs. The Hunter Killers begin to strafe the airfield, we are under attack! With no time to lose, I slam down the canopy and head down the runway. With a little luck, I get off the ground before the Hunter Killers can bomb me.

Once in the air, I head towards the Hunter Killers at full throttle. Firing my nose cannon, I attract their attention and trick them into following me. The bastards try to lock missiles onto me, but they have no idea who they are dealing with. At full speed, I bank hard right and swing around the two Hunter Killers. As they stop to come about and continue pursuit, I fire a Sidewinder missile at the first Hunter Killer and bank hard left. Over my shoulder, I can see the missile score a direct hit on the Hunter Killer's engine, causing it to slam into the ground. One down, one to go.

The second Hunter Killer has missile lock on me. I deploy flares and climb, avoiding the first missile. I climb as steadily as possible, but it still has missile lock. I roll right and try to shake it by going into a steep dive. No good, it is still on my tail. It fires again, but I dodge the missile through evasive manoeuvres. Cutting back on the throttle, I bank right and attempt an inside sweep to get behind the Hunter Killer. It just matches my course and speed.

Two more missiles are fired at me, but I manage to evade them using flares and my excellent piloting skills. Desperate, I try my oldest trick: hit the breaks and let him fly by. Oddly enough, it works. The problem is, I'm too close for missile lock. The engagement turns into a dogfight, as I struggle to hit him with my nose gun. I become so focused on shooting him down, that he manages to use my own trick against me. Flying right by him, I go to full throttle and hope that I have enough time to avoid his cannons.

Once out of cannon range, the Hunter Killer reverts to missiles. I had better think of something fast, or I am going to run out of flares. Then it hits me; John Henry's missile launcher. If he has it with him, he could blast this bastard out of the sky while he is still focused on me. Turning back towards the airfield, I pray that John Henry has his missile ready. Otherwise, I am screwed.

Flying close to the ground with the Hunter Killer slightly behind and above me, I reduce speed in the hopes that it will as well. It fires and I turn away from it, sending the missile into one of the planes on the runway. This thing is really doing a lot of damage. I begin to climb, hoping to draw it away from the crowds and parked aircraft. As we both climb, a missile flies up from the ground and strikes the Hunter Killer in the engine, sending it crashing into the ground.

"I was wondering when he would shoot that thing! WAAHOO!" I did not expect a response. Surprisingly, John Henry has hacked into the communications system and is contacting me while I am in the air.

"Sorry about the delay, Lieutenant. It's not easy to hit a target when it is zigzagging all across the skies".

"Tell me about it! Thanks for the assist, J.H. I owe you one".

I fly low over the crowd and perform a victory roll. The song "Up we go into the wild blue yonder" is blaring over the speakers, which means that John Henry has hacked into the sound system. The crowd cheers as I perform numerous aerobatic stunts, singing my favourite tune. Unknown to me, my voice is now blaring over the speakers. Every Resistance soldier in the crowd, and there are many, begins to bare their tattoos and sing along with me. When I finally land and pop the canopy, the Resistance soldiers all stand up and in a single voice cry out: "LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE! LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE!"

John Henry runs onto the runway and climbs onto the wing of my A-10. I stand up in the cockpit and we both join in with the crowd: "LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE!" We continue to chant right up until the moment that the military police vehicles begin to swarm the runway. Time to go! John Henry and I leap from the plane and make our escape, congratulating each other as we go. That's one more kill a piece! My guess is that the air show is now over, so we head to the car and wait for everyone else.

"Just like old times, eh Catherine?"

"Splendid flying, Charley. I think we had better leave before the MPs arrest you for stealing that A-10". She raises a good point, even though I did save everybody at the airfield today. As we drive home, we listen to the news coverage of the event over the radio.

"Today, a pair of unidentified aircraft descended upon the Los Angeles air show and opened fire. Though numerous aircraft were damaged or destroyed, no casualties have been reported. This is mainly due to a young pilot that stole an A-10 from the air show and engaged the enemy above the skies of Los Angeles. One aircraft was destroyed by an air to air missile, while the second was destroyed by a shoulder mounted, surface to air missile. Currently, there is no information on the identity of the pilot or on the man on the ground. The United States Air Force is examining the debris for any clues to those responsible for this attack on American soil. Stay tuned for further updates on this story as it develops". I love it when SkyNet makes the news. It's hard to avoid the obvious when it is starring at you from the front page. This is not some delusion, it is not a fantasy, and it is not a nightmare. This is war, plain and simple.

At any moment, I expect someone to chew me out for stealing a plane at an air show. The scalding never comes; everyone seems too shocked by today's events. Attacking a public gathering that was loaded with military personnel and equipment; that was a gutsy move by SkyNet! Cameron is the first to speak, though she does not mention the attack.

"What's on your mind, John?"

"Did anyone else find that unusual? I mean, I don't think I have ever seen that many Resistance members? What was that, a convention?"

"They were pilots".

"What was that, Lieutenant?"

"I recognized them when I flew over the crowd. They were pilots".

"You recognized them flying over the crowd in a jet?"

"You'd be surprised at what you can see with Terminator eyes. At some point, all pilots are drawn back to their old aircraft. We are like moths to a flame. We all know where we belong, and that is in the air". As quietly as possible, I whisper: "I belong in the air". Catherine heard me, of course, but she doesn't say anything about it.

"So, what was it like to be back behind the controls of an A-10?"

"Catherine, it was like I never stopped flying. I wish you could have been there with me, together in the skies like in the old days". She starts laughing.

"You do realize that the old days will not happen for another nine years". I shrug my shoulders.

"Time travel gives me a headache".

"Of course, you do realize what SkyNet was after, right? A chance to kill as many Resistance pilots as possible".

"I wonder how he knew that so many Resistance pilots would be at the air show?"

"Charley, how did you find out about this air show?"

"I read about it...on the internet! Son of a bitch! That bastard set a trap and I walked right into it!"

"CHARLEY! Could you not swear when Savannah is in the car?"

"What's a bastard?" Uh oh! I am in so much trouble right now.

"That's a word that you can not use until you are an adult, sweetheart".

"Ok. That air show was very exciting. Can we go again sometime?" She liked being shot at? Savannah is definitely her mother's daughter.

"Sweetie, I don't think your mother is going to let me get near an airfield for a very, very long time".


	23. Chapter 23

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXIII

After the incident at the air show, we decided to go factory hunting. Sarah and Reese prepared a series of demolition charges while young Sarah, John Henry, and I got the armoured truck ready. Once all of the preparations had been completed, we headed out. Young Sarah was in the driver's seat, while I manned the railgun and John Henry used his computer to triangulate the trajectories of the Hunter Killers we had blown out of the sky.

"This trip seems like a waste of time, Lieutenant. Even if we do find the new factory, we don't have a powerful enough explosive to destroy it".

"For the last time, call me Charley. What type of aircraft are the Hunter Killers?"

"Unmanned aerial drones".

"Ok. What type of engines do they use?"

"Jet engines. Is there a point to this?"

"Where there are jet engines, there must be jet fuel. Now, what will happen when we stick the demo charges that Sarah and Reese prepared for us, onto the fuel tanks at the new Hunter Killer factory?"

"There will be a tremendous explosion....possibly powerful enough to destroy the factory! This might work".

"Assuming you can find the factory".

"When have I ever failed?"

"There's always a first time for everything, J.H." Before we locate the factory, a Hunter Killer on patrol locates us.

"Uh oh! We've got company?"

"Let's try our new "Bait and Switch" tactic. Sarah, stop the truck!"

"Are you crazy?"

"Stop the truck and cut the engine. Do it or we will be blown to hell".

Sarah stops the truck and cuts the engine, just as I had instructed. John Henry leaps out of the back of the truck, holding a new type of missile he had developed over the past few days. When fired, it generates a pulse that warns aircraft of its approach. The purpose of this is to lure the craft into my line of sight, so that I can blast it with the railgun. As an added bonus, the pulse also jams the enemy's targeting systems. Even if it does not move in the right direction, I can lock on to it before it can lock on to me. Assuming, of course, that it works.

"All set, Charley".

"Then fire the blasted thing. Oh, and thanks for calling me Charley".

John Henry fires the new missile, and the Hunter Killer manoeuvres to avoid the incoming fire. With one, well placed shot, I fire a projectile that severs the left engine from the hull of the Hunter Killer. The drone crashes into the desert, erupting into a flaming pile of scrap metal. Our diversionary tactic actually worked. From inside the cabin, I can hear young Sarah shrieking with joy.

"WAAHOO! Great shot, Lieutenant!"

"Thank you, Colonel. J.H., please tell me you know where that came from".

"Easy. All I have to do is calculate the trajectory of this new drone, then add that to the trajectories of the previous drones and.....Voila! Here's your new factory".

"Give the coordinates to Sarah and let's head out".

We drive to the new factory, and park right behind a nearby sandbank. When trying to sabotage an aircraft factory, it is always best to remain hidden. Sarah waits in the truck, while John Henry and I grab the charges and head out to destroy the factory. Silent and stealthy, we creep through the desert sands towards our objective. There is a chain link fence that surrounds the perimeter, but I break through it without any difficulty.

"Stay sharp, J.H. There might be guards nearby".

"Following your lead, Lieutenant".

"Could you stop calling me that?"

We make our way behind the factory, and find the fuel tanks. They are at the very back of the factory, but there should be enough fuel here to destroy the entire facility. When you are building a large air force, you need a lot of jet fuel. We place the charges on the fuel tanks and prepare to demolish the facility. At that moment, a security guard catches us and starts shouting.

"Hey! What are you doing near those fuel tanks?"

"Blowing them up! What are you doing near these fuel tanks?"

"Oh, a wise ass! I'll show you what we do to wise asses around here!"

The guard charges at me, but I catch him and throw him to the ground. He kicks me behind my right knee, but I grab his leg and crush it. As he screams in pain, I walk over to his head and lift my leg. Having realized that I intend to kill him, the poor bastard begins to plead for his life. I still crush his head like a melon.

"Was that really necessary, Charley?"

"He would have died anyway. Come on, let's get out of here and switch on the detonators".

We sprint back through the opening in the fence, and then activate the detonators to the demolition charges. The fuel tanks explode, causing the entire factory to erupt into a blazing inferno. Mission accomplished. We just stand there for a few minutes, and watch the factory burn to the ground. Then, we run back to the truck and head for home.

Unfortunately, the factory had more than one Hunter Killer on patrol when we attacked. The second Hunter Killer approaches from the east and begins to swoop down upon us. John Henry manages to use his laptop to jam the drones targeting signal, buying me enough time to lock the railgun onto our new nemesis. I fire a single projectile, ripping apart the Hunter Killer's right engine and sending it face first into the desert sands. That's two more to my tally.

When we reach the Safe House, the first thing we notice is that the other car is missing. My guess is that someone went out on a supply run, or something similar. However, when we open the front door, we find a most unusual scene. Reese quickly leaps up from the couch with a cushion covering his, groin area. Sarah turns into the couch, so that her front remains covered but her backside is strikingly visible.

"HO!" That was the first phrase that popped into my mind. I have really got to work on my self control. Speaking of which..."What.....happened?"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Sarah is shrieking. At first, I don't understand what she is yelling about. Then I remember what I said. I think I am about to be shot at, again!

"I...I didn't mean it like....it just slipped out. Ok, before I get shot again, where is everyone else?" Reese, being the calmer of the two, answers my question.

"We sent them out to see a movie. Sarah and I....we needed some alone time".

"Couldn't you have done that in your room? I mean....sheesh, we all need to sit on that couch!"

"My.....grandmother....is....naked!! Must....wash....eyes!" New plan, keep both Sarahs calm before their heads explode.

"Ok, everyone stay calm. Let's deal with this like adults". We can hear a car pulling into the driveway, which makes older Sarah start to panic.

"Oh crap! They're back early. Shit! Reese, help my find my clothes!"

"Hey, mom! We're....OH MY GOD!"

"John, what are you yelling.......SAVANNAH, CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

"Hehehe! They're in their birthday suits!"

Oh this is just great. Now, I have a traumatized eighteen year old girl, a six year old with the giggles, and a sixteen year old boy who just walked in while his mother and uncle were doing the mattress mambo! In our living room for Pete's sake! Why did they have to use the living room? Why not a room with a locked door? Sarah tries to calm her son, but forgot about one minor detail.

"John, I understand that this can be upsetting to you, but you need to understand....."

"DON'T ROLL OVER! DON'T....SHE ROLLED OVER! GOD!" Wow, she really does have great breasts! I...should not be thinking this about my Commanding Officer's mother. Plus, Catherine will castrate me if I don't stop starring.

"Are mine going to look like that?" Savannah is a very curious girl, always asking questions. I have no idea how to answer this one.

"For the love of God, someone cover Savannah's eyes!" Allison does it, mainly because she was standing closer to Savannah than anyone else. Cameron cocks her head to the side.

"I do not understand why Sarah's breasts are so upsetting to you, John. You have seen my breasts, and you did not find them upsetting". Dear God, she did not just say that!

"He's seen.....WHAT?"

"Sarah, you really are not in any position to criticize. Speaking of positions, could you roll over? We can see your....your...hooha!"

"My hooha?"

"Your vagina" chirps Savannah.

"Ok. So she knows that word!" Catherine looks like she is about to stab me. "What? All I did was open the door".

"Where were you, exactly, when the hanky-panky was going on?"

"I was with John Henry, blowing up the new Hunter Killer factory. I also shot down two more Hunter Killers, just in case you were wondering". John turns towards me.

"What happened? With the factory, not with my mom and my uncle".

"Here's what happened: We drove through the desert looking for the new HK factory, and we got jumped by an HK. I shot it down, and John Henry managed to calculate its trajectory and find the factory. We used the demolition charges you had prepared to destroy the fuel tanks and light up the whole factory. Then, we got jumped by a second HK and I shot it down. We drove home, I opened the door, and you know the rest". Turning towards John Henry, I add: "Did I forget anything".

"Yes. You enjoyed staring at Sarah's breasts".

"I DID NOT SAY THAT!"

"You did not have to; I can hear your thoughts". Now he tells me! "I heard that". Stop listening to my thoughts. Uh oh! John just pulled a nine millimetre out the back of his pants, and Catherine just turned her arms into blades.

"Hey, come on guys! I didn't say anything about her breasts! Let's all keep calm, and put away the weapons. Ok?" Nope! John shoots me in the head and Catherine stabs me in the stomach. "Ok, that hurt!"

"Interesting! I can't penetrate your armour plating! Even the T-800 and T-888 are vulnerable to my blades. You truly are one of a kind, Charley".

"Great, I can also feel pain! Could you please remove your blade from my stomach?" I do love Catherine, but she does pick the most inopportune moments to behave like an analytical machine. As she pulls the blades out of my flesh, she turns towards John Henry. Without saying a single word, she is communicating with John Henry.

"Yes, I can hear your thoughts as well, and those of every other Terminator. That is probably why my brother wishes to destroy me". Older Sarah interrupts our conversation.

"This is all very interesting, but could you all GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE SO THAT WE CAN GET DRESSED?!"

John and young Sarah are the first ones out the door. Allison follows them, carrying little Savannah who can not understand why everyone is so upset. Cameron and John Henry walk out together, discussing Terminator personal boundaries. Finally, Catherine and I walk out, discussing our relationship.

"I swear to God, I am not attracted to Sara! You are the only woman I have ever loved romantically".

"So, you did not enjoy looking at her breasts?"

"Are you kidding? Your breasts blow hers out of the water. I am not sure if that came out right". She starts laughing, which means I probably won't get stabbed again.

"What am I going to do with you, Charley?"

"Don't stab me! That hurts like a son of a...Hey Savannah". Catherine chuckles.

"Good save". She gives me a kiss on the lips. This has got to be one of the weirdest days of my lives.


	24. Chapter 24

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXIV

Young Sarah decided to go out for a little while, to get some fresh air. For some reason, I followed her. We ended up at a Los Angeles strip club, where I thought she was working undercover. Imagine my surprise when I found her making out with one of the strippers.

"Well, this is new".

"Shit! You have to promise to keep this a secret. You can not tell anyone, especially not my dad. Promise!"

"Why does everyone in your family want me to keep a secret?"

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone".

"All right, I promise. Sheesh. When we finish saving the world, you all need to go into group therapy".

We both found a seat in the audience and sat down to watch the show. That was, until I noticed a peculiar blond woman staring at Sarah's female friend. It did not take long to realize what she was: a Terminator. I took up a position where I had a good line of sight, and waited for her to make her move.

To my surprise, she transformed her right arm into a type of rifle that I have never seen before. As she took aim at the young stripper, I fired my entire cartridge of fifty calibre incendiary rounds at her head. No effect! She fired her rifle, striking me in the left shoulder. To my surprise, she actually pierced my armour. I can't take many hits like that! What the hell did she shoot me with? I fall to the ground as she escapes into the night.

"Son of a bitch!"

"Are you all right?"

"No! I'm damaged!"

"I thought you were indestructible?"

"So did I! Let's get the hell out of here and formulate a plan to deal with this bitch!"

"Not without Charlotte!"

"Fine, we'll take your girlfriend with us! She's the one it's after anyway".

"I agree. Charley! Grab your gear, we're leaving!" Did she have to call her that?

Due to the hole in my shoulder, Sarah drives the armoured truck with her car in tow. I sit in the back while her girlfriend applies a bandage to my wound. I am not sure if a bandage would help a Terminator, but it makes her feel useful. If that thing had shot me in the head or the heart, it would have killed me. I could have died, again! That is very upsetting to me. By the time we reach the Safe House, I look like crap. A fact that greatly concerns Catherine.

"What happened?"

"It was a TX. He took one in the shoulder, but he should be all right". Every Terminator in the room looks concerned. No, concerned is not the right word. They are afraid!

"Someone want to clue me in? What the hell is a TX?" Cameron, still in a state of shock, answers my question.

"A TX is essentially an Anti-Terminator Terminator. They are designed specifically to destroy us. You are lucky to have survived the encounter".

"Yeah, well, I still have a large hole in my shoulder. The bitch burned right through my armour. How'd she do that?"

"She is armed with a plasma rifle. All Terminators are vulnerable to plasma attacks". Despite the searing pain in my shoulder, I start laughing. "What is so funny?"

"Armed. She turned her arm into a weapon. Sorry, I thought it was funny. So, how do we take out a TX?"

"They are vulnerable to plasma rifles. Other than that..." Cameron shrugs her shoulders. Now, I am afraid.

"J.H., do we have a plasma rifle?"

"No, but I do have something that can work. It's a smaller version of my railgun. The projectiles are too large to place in a clip, so you will only have one shot. Theoretically, it should destroy the TX".

"And if I miss, I'm dead. Does that pretty much sum it up?"

"Precisely, so don't miss!" Great, I've only got one shot to take this thing down.

An hour later, John Henry and Catherine have completed repairs on my shoulder. The new railgun is ready for action; it looks a lot like the one mounted on the truck, except that it is light enough for a Terminator to carry with one arm. That should come in handy if I get hit in the shoulder, again. Before I leave, John Henry takes me aside.

"I have been talking to John. If you manage to secure the plasma rifle from the TX, we should be able to replicate it".

"So, just to be clear: shoot her in the head, get her arm and bring it back here for replication. Is that everything?"

"It is. Good luck, my friend".

"Thank you, John Henry". I am going to need all the luck that I can get. Then, I come up with my own plan for destroying the TX. "Cameron, I want you to come with me".

"Why?"

"Here is my plan: you carry the railgun while I engage the TX in hand to hand combat. While she is distracted with me, you blow her God damn head off! Clear?"

"Clear. This could actually work". Thank you for the confidence. Before we leave, I decide to have a private conversation with Charlotte.

"Isn't it strange that they would send an Anti-Terminator Terminator to kill you?" Our eyes meet, and I know that I am right. She's a Terminator! Why is everything so complicated?

"Don't tell Sarah, all right? I don't want her to know yet".

"Would you care to tell me why you are interested in Colonel Connor?"

"It's simple; I love her. Just like you love Catherine and Cameron loves John". How did she know that? "Sarah has told me all about you". Oh. Wait a minute... "No, I can't read your mind. But, I can read your facial expressions. You have a lousy poker face".

"It's why I don't gamble. Take care of the Colonel until we get back".

"I always do".

We take the regular car and drive through Los Angeles, looking for a Terminator that can transform her body parts into deadly weapons. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack, she could be anywhere. When we encounter a traffic jam, we decide to continue our search on foot. As I walk down the street, I notice that my shoe is untied. Bending over to tie it, I narrowly evade a plasma shot that destroys the car behind me. It's the TX!

"HEY! TURBO BITCH! AFRAID TO FACE ME WITHOUT A HIGH TECH RIFLE?"

The TX attempts to escape, but I pursue her through the crowded streets of L.A. We eventually stop at a small Cafe and confront each other. I throw the first punch and connect with a right hook. I kick her in the stomach and try to hit her again with a left hook, but she catches my arm. Our arms lock as we struggle to overpower one another. Suddenly, she transforms her left arm into a buzz saw and begins to cut through my right arm. Screaming in pain, I head-butt her and throw her off me.

I charge her like a maddened bull, knocking her to the ground. My fists pummel her face in a flurry of punches. I have become so enraged by the pain shooting through my arm that I have forgotten about her deadliest weapon. She fires her plasma rifle, hitting me in my left side. Stunned and weakened, I am thrown off of her and into a nearby wall.

As she scrambles to her feet, I feel a large hole in my left side. This is it, I am going to die. This time, I doubt anyone will be able to put me back together again. She walks over to me, and aims her plasma rifle at my head. At least it will be quick.

"Goodbye, Lieutenant Zacks!" How does everyone know my name?

As I brace myself for the inevitable hail of plasma, my thoughts turn to Catherine. I never really got a chance to say goodbye. I love you Catherine, and I hope you find someone else that will make you happy. Suddenly, just as I think the end has come, the TX's head explodes. Her lifeless body collapses on top of me. I push the corpse off of me and start to look around, wondering who or what had just saved my life.

"What the....." I look up and spot Cameron holding the railgun. She did it! "Nice shot, Cameron. Thank you for saving my life".

"You did the same for me". That is true. We are now even. "Let's bring the body back to the Safe House. We need the plasma rifle in order to produce our own energy weapons, and you need parts for repairs".

"Roger that. Let's take this bitch apart!"

When we reach the Safe House, Charlotte is walking out the door. We say good night to each other, and she drives home in her car. The moment I walk through the front door, Catherine throws her arms around my neck and starts kissing me like there is no tomorrow.

"I thought you weren't coming back. I thought that I was going to lose you".

"When she was about to shoot me in the head, there was only one thought going through my mind. Do you know what that thought was, Catherine?"

"What was it?"

"Seeing you again". We kiss, and for a brief moment, I forget about the hole in my left side. Cameron drags the dead TX into the house. Everyone congratulates us for destroying the most advanced and deadly killing machine in history.

"The Lieutenant is the real hero! He engaged the TX in hand to hand combat so that I would have a clear shot. He was willing to sacrifice himself to ensure the destruction of his enemy. It was admirable". I'm not sure, but I think I'm blushing. Yep, I'm blushing and everyone else is laughing.

"I didn't know that Terminators could blush".

"Look at him; he's as red as a tomato".

"Could we patch me up first, and make fun of me later?"

Due to internal damage, repairs are more complicated and take longer than during previous encounters with Terminators. Fortunately, Catherine is also a skilled surgeon and she can turn her arms into the tools needed to fix me. She uses many different types of surgical and mechanical instruments, all generated from her own body. Unfortunately, she does not have any anaesthetics, so this hurts like hell.

"YAAA! Are you trying to stitch me together, or make a dress?" She slaps me in the face.

"I will not tolerate any sexist remarks, especially from you!"

"I was being sexist! If you were a man, I would have said the exact same thing. ARGH! Careful!"

"Don't be such a baby, we're almost done. You're lucky; I've treated this type of wound hundreds of times".

"Did they at least use anaesthesia?"

"No, but humans have a lower tolerance for pain. Most of them had already passed out". Good to know. JESUS CHRIST! Remind me to knock myself out next time. Surprisingly, she kisses me on the mouth.

"What was that for?"

"I'm proud of you, Charley. You could have let Cameron take all of the risk while you stood aside with the railgun. What you did today took a lot of courage".

"Thank you. I'd ask you to go to bed with me, but I'm afraid I will fall apart like an old sack". She starts laughing.

"Ah, Charley. You always know how to make me laugh". We kiss again. I may be in excruciating pain, but I am also the happiest Terminator in the world.


	25. Chapter 25

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXV

Have you ever had a dream that you just can't escape from? For me, it is the same dream every night: I am on patrol with an infantry division in post-Judgement Day Los Angeles. Without warning, a plasma blast blows the head off of the man next to me. A firefight ensues between Resistance infantrymen and SkyNet T-700s, with both sides carrying plasma rifles. All around me, men are being blown to pieces. As I turn to issue orders, I get shot in the middle of my back. Paralyzed, I watch helplessly as the unit is torn apart by a volley of plasma fire. When the last soldier dies, she turns so that I may see her face, and it is Allison! From a nearby building, Catherine and John Henry attempt to reach me and get blown away by plasma rifles. One of the T-700s walks over to me, and I beg it to kill me too. It replies, in Charlotte's voice, that there is no need. That is when I wake up, drenched in sweat and praying to God that this isn't a premonition.

I know that Commander Connor never believed that the future was pre-determined. He always said that there is no fate but what we make, or something like that. I never really paid much attention to those speeches, because I believed they were hypothetical. I mean, who could have believed that you could actually try to change the past? But, what if the Commander was wrong? What if you really can't change your destiny? After everything we have done, Terminators are still in production, SkyNet still exists and Judgement Day could be just around the corner. Sarah's attack on Cyberdine postponed Judgement Day, but it did not prevent it. Are we all just wasting our time, trying to prevent the inevitable? Or, an even scarier thought, are we all making things worse? It's no wonder that I can't sleep.

In an attempt to clear my head, I take the non-armoured car into Los Angeles and drive around for a while. Normally, I try to avoid other people when I take a drive down town. This time, I notice a large, bulky man stumbling around like he is drunk or hurt. For some reason, I decide to help him. Something about this guy seems very familiar.

"Hey buddy, you need any help?"

He turns around and I see his face, only, it is not a face at all; it is a rubber mask! I knew he looked familiar. Shit! It's a T-600! If I understood correctly, T-600s can't use time machines. This guy is fresh off of the assembly line. Shit! He turns to run, and I leap out of the car and chase after him.

Fortunately, I am faster, stronger, and more agile than he is. I catch him without any trouble at all. He swings at me, but I catch his fist with one hand and break his arm with the other. Those glowing red eyes glare at me, staring straight into my soul. I shove the metal brute into a nearby wall and grab him by the throat.

"All right, you metal mother-fucker! Who built you? Answer me, or I will take you apart piece by piece!"

"Self-destruct initiated".

"Don't give me that crap! I know that T-600s don't have self-destruct mechanisms. Who built you?"

The bastard explodes, tearing apart my clothing and my flesh. Stupefied, I land flat on my ass in the middle of a dark alley. My M82 has been blown into the alley, but God only knows where it landed. Christ! I think I have T-600 fragments up my nose! I reach for my cell-phone to call the others, only to find out that I had landed on top of it. Now I have no weapon, no cell-phone, and no clue as to where that thing came from. Great!

After combing the alley for what seems like hours, I finally collect my M82 and all of the pieces from the destroyed T-600. I shove them all into the trunk of the car and head out towards the strip club where Charlotte the Terminator works. We meet a new Terminator and within a week, the T-600 comes off the assembly line! That can not be a coincidence. The song Hero is playing over the radio, and I keep trying to think of waves to interrogate a Terminator. This will not be easy. As I listen to the lyrics to Hero, I can not help but think of Commander Connor. This song fits him perfectly; he really should have made it his official anthem. I should bring this up the next time I see John, because he is the hero that will save us all. Ok, time to focus on the Terminator and think about this stuff later.

It seems like an eternity before I reach the strip club, but it has only been a few minutes. The back door is locked, so I break it down. A security guard tries to confront me, but I knock him out. No point in killing him, he is no threat to me or the Resistance. Charlotte is another story; I might have to kill her. I barge into the dressing room, scarring the crap out of all of the strippers.

"You! Tin-woman! We need to talk!"

"Later, ok. I have to go to work right now". I grab her by the throat and push her into a wall.

"You see my chest? It doesn't have any skin because a T-600 just blew it off! What do you know about this?"

"You're mistaken! The T-600 is non biological, so it can not time travel. You must have seen something else".

"Don't give me that bullshit! I know what a T-600 looks like. I've been chased by T-600s, I've nearly been killed by T-600s. Don't tell me that I am mistaken, because I know what I saw. Now, tell me what you know or I will rip out your power core and shove it down your throat!" Someone picks up a crowbar and strikes me on the back of the head. I just turn towards her and, as calmly as possible, state the following words: "Don't do that again, unless you wish to die".

"What the hell are you?"

"I'm a scary robot. Just like the one that BLEW UP IN MY FACE TONIGHT! Now start talking, turbo-bitch!"

"I don't know what you are talking about? T-600s should not exist yet. You are not making any sense". I punch her in the stomach as hard as possible. She doubles over as the wall behind her cracks. I'm not sure if I can actually rip out her power core, but I am going to try. "Please, I don't know anything". Maybe she is telling the truth, maybe she is not. Another woman tries to clobber me over the head with a tire iron, which is very irritating.

"KNOCK IT OFF!"

The women in the room are not sure if they should charge at me or run away from me. Charlotte actually looks like she is in pain, but I know for a fact that other Terminators can not feel pain. Cameron can not fell pain and neither can Catherine or John Henry. Suddenly, the sound of a Gatling gun echoes through the strip club. Charlotte and I just stare at each other.

"It...can't be".

"You really didn't know?" Ok, new plan: kill the T-600 and work this out latter.

I have no idea who or what the T-600 was looking for, but it has already killed everyone in the audience. This is not a targeted assignation attempt, this is a massacre. The T-600 notices me and sprays me with Gatling gun fire. Fortunately, the first T-600 destroyed my nerve endings, so I don't feel a thing. As I run towards it, I swear that I see fear in its red glowing eyes. I knock the Gatling gun out of its hand and into a nearby wall. The T-600 attempts to flee, but I grab its right arm and rip it out of its socket before doing the same thing to its left arm.

"I don't suppose you would be willing to tell me who sent you?"

"Negative".

"I didn't think so".

I kick the murdering machine and knock it flat on its ass. Bending over, I grab its head and I pull until it has been ripped from its chassis. Target neutralized! The sounds of police sirens echo through the night, announcing the arrival of the LAPD. Ironically, the first officer on the scene is one of those that I helped save from the T-1s.

"What the hell?"

"Sorry officer, another robot went on a rampage".

"This one is different from the others".

"New model. It won't bother anyone ever again". I keep my back turned towards the police officers, so that they do not see that I am a robot.

"Who are you?"

"Lieutenant Charles Zacks, Air Force, at your service".

"Figures the military would have something to do with this. Your people sending someone to pick this up?"

"No, I will take it back to base. I have to ask you to cordon off this area. National security; you understand, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. How do you plan on explaining this one?"

"Mob violence: that is the usual B.S. for this kind of massacre".

"Mob violence? With a Gatling gun?"

"Just do it!"

"All right. I hope you people know what you are doing".

"So do I, officer. So do I".

After the police have closed off the area, I pick up the dead T-600 and head out the back exit. After shoving the second T-600 into the trunk of my car, I notice that Charlotte has followed me out. Is she going to try to repair the T-600, or does she want to help me? Damn it, why do Terminators have to be such good liars? I can't tell if they really are on our side or not. It was so much easier when I thought they were all evil.

"You going to take that back home?"

"Of course I am. Do you want to accompany me?"

"Well, my clients have all been killed. So..."

"Fine, get in. If you betray me, I swear to God that I will destroy you".

"Understood, let's go".

As we drive back to the Safe House, I hum the song "Green Fields of France". Charlotte asks me about the song that I am humming, and I tell her that it is an old Scottish song about a soldier killed in the First World War. A song that I used to sing it to Catherine back when I was still human. Though it was written about the First World War, it was quite applicable to our situation. Charlotte keeps nagging me to sing the lyrics, and I eventually give in.

"I do have a lousy singing voice, you know".

"I don't care; I just want to hear it. Besides, Catherine has such fine tastes".

"Yes, she does. Well, here goes nothing:

How do you do, young Willie McBride? Do you mind if I sit here, down by your graveside? And rest for a while in the warm summer sun, I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done. And I see by your gravestone you were only 19, when you joined the great fallen in 1916. Well I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean, or Willie McBride was it slow and obscene? Did they beat the drums slowly? Did they play the pipes lowly? Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band play the last post in Chorus? Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest?

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind? In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined? And though you died back in 1916, in that loyal heart you're forever 19? Or are you a stranger without even a name? Enshrined forever behind some old glass pane. In an old photograph, torn, tattered, and stained. And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame. Did they beat the drums slowly? Did they play the pipes lowly? Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band play the last post in Chorus? Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest?

The sun shining down on these green fields of France. The warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance. The trenches have vanished long under the plough. No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now. But here in this graveyard that's still no man's land, the countless white crosses in mute witness stand. To man's blind indifference to his fellow man and a whole generation who were butchered and damned. Did they beat the drums slowly? Did they play the pipes lowly? Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band play the last post in Chorus? Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest?

And I can't help but wonder, no Willie McBride. Do all those who lie here know why they died? Did you really believe them when they told you the cause? Did you really believe that this war would end wars? But the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame, the killing, the dying it was all done in vain. Oh Willie McBride it all happened again, and again and again and again and again. Did they beat the drums slowly? Did they play the pipes lowly? Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down? Did the band play the last post in Chorus? Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest?"

When I have finished singing, I look at Charlotte. To my surprise, she is crying. A Terminator, crying! She tells me that the song was very beautiful. I thank her and tell her that Catherine thought so as well. It is the only Scottish song that I know, but I know it by heart. We start to actually talk to each other, and ride seems to just fly by.

When we reach the Safe House, Charlotte helps me unload the wreckage of the two T-600s from the trunk. I walk through the door first, just to make sure that everyone is all right. Allison is the first one to see me, and she looks concerned.

"You look like shit! What the hell happened to you?"

"We have a problem. A really big problem".


	26. Chapter 26

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXVI

Sarah is doing push-ups in the living room as Charlotte and I discuss our encounters with the T-600s. For some reason, I start passing the head of the second T-600 behind my back like a basketball. These things used to terrify me, but they do not seem nearly as menacing as before.

"So, what's the plan here?"

"Simple: we break into Cyberdine, hack their computers, find out where they are building these new Terminators and destroy them; just another day for the Connor family".

"John Henry, Cameron, and I can take care of that. It's hard to believe that these things used to scare the shit out of me". Sarah starts to chuckle.

"Really?"

"The T-600 used to be SkyNet's front line infantry unit. When I was killed, they had already begun to faze them out for the new T-700s. I never really encountered many T-700s. The T-600 on the other hand...." I look at Catherine and smile. "Remember how we met?"

"Not an easy day to forget".

"I'll say. The gang I was fighting with had been cut to pieces by the T-600s. I was limping around with a bullet in my hip, waiting to die. Then you came out of nowhere and saved my ass. Why did you do that, anyway?"

"I thought you were the bravest man I had ever seen. Anyone that daring deserved to be saved".

"I could also have been the most foolish man you had ever seen". Reese stands there and scratches his head; he looks confused by all of this.

"I don't get it. What's so brave about getting shot in the hip?"

"Uh, Reese...I was limping towards the T-600s".

"What? Were you insane?"

"Hey, I figured that I was going to die anyway, so I might as well try to take some of them down with me. I grabbed the nearest gun I could find, I think it was an M-16, and charged at the lumbering killing machines. For some reason, I started to think about the last few acts of Macbeth and I cried out: BLOW WIND! COME RACK! I SHALL DIE WITH HARNESS ON MY BACK! I limp towards them, firing my weapon, when the blasted thing jams on me! So I figure: this is it, I'm going to die. Next thing I knew, I was being thrown to the ground by a beautiful red-head". Sarah has finished her push-ups and is sitting next to Reese on the couch.

"Nice story. So, what's the difference between a T-600 and a T-700?"

"The T-700 is a lot stronger, faster, smarter, and more agile than the lumbering T-600. It also has thicker armour, which is why it has remained SkyNet's front line infantryman for the duration of the war".

"Then why build the T-800 and T-888?"

"The T-700 is designed to be mass produced front line infantry soldiers. The T-800, T-888, and TX are designed to be produced in smaller numbers for more specific tasks: assignations, sabotage, espionage, that sort of thing. Think of the T-700 as SkyNet's general infantry and the T-800, T-888, T-1000, and so forth are SkyNet's elite commandos". Cameron smiles and adds:

"A T-700 series model is also strong enough to turn a T-800 series model into a pretzel".

"Bragging, are we?"

"I don't brag".

"What model Terminator are you, Cameron?"

"I am a modified T-700 series model Terminator".

"And she has turned a T-888 into a pretzel!" Adds John. Cameron is starting to smirk, she WAS bragging! "By the way Lieutenant, I would like to speak with you before you leave. I have a package that I would like you to deliver to Cyberdine".

"Aye aye, oh General my General!"

"Cut that out, Lieutenant Wise Ass!" I am really starting to like this kid.

When we reach Cyberdine's head office, we break down the doors and let ourselves in. The night guards try to stop us, and we throw them out on their asses. Cameron and I force open the doors to the elevator while John Henry hotwires it to take us to the sub-basement. That is the most likely location of the Cyberdine mainframe, and our best chance of locating the T-600 factory. On my back, I carry John Connor's "package". I just hope that I can get the others out of here before I set it off.

"Are you sure this is the right building, J.H.?"

"Have I ever let you down?"

We follow John Henry, and sure enough, he leads us right to Cyberdine's main databanks. The supercomputer is huge! I did not know they still made computers that are large enough to fill an entire room. It looks like a scene from Star Wars.

"I used to be a computer just like this one. Only, I was a little more complex than this".

"More complex? I've seen cars that are smaller than these processors!"

"Vast amounts of data require massive equipment. I am going to link up to this computer, keep me covered".

"I didn't know you had a port in the back of your head, J.H." John Henry smiles at me.

"How do you think I downloaded into this body?"

John Henry actually plugs his head into the computer. It is a sight that is both incredible, and extremely disturbing. How many people are friends with a man that has a USB port in the back of his head? His face is like that of a statue: focused and emotionless. It only takes him minutes to go through the entire database.

"I can not find any information on the T-600. It is as if that model does not exist".

"I have a strip club full of dead people that would disagree with you, J.H."

"I am not doubting you, my friend. I am only relaying what I have seen. There is no information on the T-600 in this database". Cameron actually looks disappointed.

"This trip has been for nothing".

"I wouldn't say that!" I finally take out John Connor's "package" and arm it.

"What is that?"

"It's a special type of electro-magnetic bomb that John built. Rather than explode, this particular bomb will generate a pulse that will fry everything mechanical within the building. Including us, so I suggest we leave".

"Is the effect reversible?"

"On us, who knows? But every computer in this building, including this thing, will be utterly useless; fried beyond repair. Cyberdine's entire mainframe will be demolished without a single explosion. The bomb has been armed; we might want to start running".

We run up the stairs, fearful that the elevator will be too slow. The device is armed, the timer is ticking and there is no way to deactivate it. As we run, I keep checking my watch to see if we will make it out in time. My vital organs are still intact, so the device will not be fatal to me. Cameron and John Henry are another story. If this thing goes off and they are still inside.....Time is almost out!

"I'm sorry guys".

Like a charging bull, I rush forward and push the others through the large windows at the front of the building. I push with enough force that they are both sent flying through the exit just as the device has begun to detonate. The pulse shoots up through the building, destroying every mechanical system within it; including my own. I fall flat on my face, unable to move. Hopefully, the others were out of range when the device detonated.

"Lieutenant, can you hear me?" It's Cameron! She made it!

"MPHFF" I try to talk, but my voice is muffled by the floor. It is not easy being an immobile, multi-ton robot that is lying on his face. I hear John Henry speaking to Cameron, and I am so glad to hear that he made it as well.

"I do not think he can reply while he is lying on his face! Come on, let us turn him over. The pulse has already dissipated, so the building should be perfectly safe for us". I hear Cameron and John Henry walk back through the shattered windows that I had pushed them through moments earlier. They walk over to me and help me to my feet.

"Thanks for the hand!"

"Can you walk?"

"Not a chance! My motors are totally fried. It's a good thing my tongue wasn't mechanical, or I wouldn't be able to talk. What?" John Henry has started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You do realize that you are speaking with your mouth completely immobile". I hadn't even considered that my mouth would also be disabled. My organic parts are still functioning. My non organic parts, including my mouth, are disabled. "Come on, John and I will have you fixed in no time".

"My girlfriend's son wants to have me fixed! Why do I feel uneasy about that?" Both John Henry and Cameron begin to laugh. "I am telling Sarah that you laughed at my jokes". Cameron punches me in the ribs.

"You will do nothing of the sort".

"Sorry, I can't feel anything. Try hitting me after J.H. has had me fixed. Ok, that did not sound right". Both of them are still laughing. I have never seen Cameron laugh before.

Cameron and John Henry carry me back to the car and dump me in the back seat. Normally, I would complain about such harsh treatment. Today, I will make an exception. I really do hope that this is not permanent. If I truly am immobile for life, then I am useless to the Resistance. If it comes to that, I will ask Reese to shoot me with the prototype plasma rifle. Cameron turns around to speak to me.

"Thank you. That pulse would have destroyed both of our chips. You saved our lives".

"Glad to be of service. Wake me when we reach the Safe House". I try to close my eyes to get some sleep, only to discover that I can't.

When we reach the Safe House, Cameron and John Henry carry me inside like a piece of luggage. Though I am glad to have saved their lives, I do find this entire experience to be humiliating. They drop me on the floor, due to the fact that my dead weight would shatter the couch. Sarah and her granddaughter walk into the living room wearing matching jeans and black tank tops.

"Exercising?" I hear Reese's voice in reply, giddy as a school girl and coming from Sarah's room.

"In a matter of speaking!" Dear God! I did not need to know that.

"You?"

"Who's he talking to? His eyes aren't moving".

"That's because they can't move". The older Sarah bends down to examine me, which I really wish she wouldn't do. "Um, Sarah? Your cleavage is showing".

"What happened to him?"

"John's electromagnetic device worked like a charm; fried everything in the building, including me".

"It would have destroyed all of our systems if he had not pushed us out of the way" adds Cameron.

"The T-600s?"

"I'm sorry, Sarah. We could not find any information on them".

"It's all right, Cameron. JOHN! I WANT YOU AND JOHN HENRY TO GET TO WORK REPAIRING THE LIEUTENANT! HE'S NO GOOD TO US LIKE THIS".

"DID THE BOMB WORK?"

"PERFECTLY!"

"GOOD. I'LL BE RIGHT THERE, MOM".

It takes them a few hours to repair me. By the time they are finished, all systems have been restored. Once again, I am fully functional. Cyberdine's supercomputer is not nearly as fortunate as I am. After all of the bad publicity, this just might be the final nail in the coffin of Cyberdine. Now, if we could only find the T-600s.


	27. Chapter 27

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXVII

After we had trashed Cyberdine's mainframe, we continued our search for the T-600 factories. Of course, our search was hindered by the fact that all internet communications could be tracked by SkyNet. In the end, it is John Connor and John Henry that discover the beast's lair.

"Hey, John Henry and I just figured out where the T-600s are".

"Care to elaborate on that, General?"

"The answer was staring us right in the face". John reaches into a bag and pulls out the decapitated head of the second T-600 that I had encountered. "Literally staring us in the face".

"You hacked his memory chip".

"Exactly! That is the good news. The bad news is that there are several T-600 factories, and they are all mobile".

"Mobile? Can they fly?"

"No, they float. The T-600s are being built on massive ships. The closest one is off the Atlantic coast, just within range of an air strike".

"That is good news. The bad news is that we do not have a plane or a bomb large enough to destroy a large vessel". John Henry enters the room with a huge smile on his face.

"We do now. Follow me to the workshop". I follow him to his workshop, where there is a large object hidden under a sheet. He pulls the sheet away to reveal a Maverick air to surface missile.

"Where did you get a Maverick?"

"It's not a Maverick. It's a Nuverick: basically, a Maverick with a nuclear warhead. Pretty clever if I do say so myself".

"You built this? John Henry, you never cease to amaze me. Now, do you have a method for delivering this nuke?" Catherine oozes out of the wall. Is it strange that I find this arousing?

"That is where we come in, Charley".

"We?"

"With my mother's assistance, we will infiltrate the nearest airbase, acquire two A-10s, and arm one of them with my missile. We will also attach anti-missile equipment that the Resistance has developed in the future. You will fly to the target and destroy it, with my mother acting as your wing man. Any questions?"

"Just like old times, eh Catherine?" Catherine shape shifts into an A-10 pilot, and hands me a flight suit.

"Get some rest. At dawn, we strike".

When we arrive at the base, Catherine oozes through the chain link fence and disguises herself as an aircraft technician. John Henry and I are unable to enter the base the same way as Catherine. We reach the entrance to the base, and encounter a pair of military policemen. We knock them out, steal their uniforms, and leave them tied up in the back of our stolen truck. Once inside, John Henry acquires a technician's uniform while I slip into my flight suit. If everything has gone according to plan, Catherine has managed to smuggle the nuke into the base and is now waiting for us in the hangar.

When we reach the hangar, we find a male technician making adjustments to a pair of A-10s. I can't spot Catherine anywhere. I guess we will deal with this technician first, and figure out where the hell she is later on.

"Hey. New orders: I am to take this plane out for a dawn patrol. Is that clear?"

"Finally! I was wondering when you two would get here. John Henry, come help me with the nuke".

"What the...CATHERINE?!"

"Keep your voice down". She shape shifts into her normal self wearing a flight suit.

"You truly are the master of disguise. Bravo, my love". I think she is blushing.

We arm the missile, attach our special equipment, and begin to taxi down the runway. Someone asks us for flight clearance, but Catherine manages to disguise her voice and convince the gullible man that our orders are classified. By the time they realize that we have stolen a pair of A-10s, we are already on route to our target.

When we reach the ship, the sun has already risen. The enemy's anti-aircraft batteries come to life and begin to fire at us. We criss-cross our planes and use flares to throw off their missiles. Once we are in weapons range, we blast their anti-aircraft batteries with our standard Maverick missiles. T-600s fill the deck and fire at us, and we dive down upon them and demolish them with our nose cannons.

From out of the clouds, a squadron of Hunter Killers descends upon us. The first one gets behind me and tries to blast me out of the sky. From the left side of my canopy, I see Catherine's A-10 climbing towards the Hunter Killer and firing a Sidewinder missile. The Sidewinder hits the Hunter Killer in the engine, sending it plummeting into the Atlantic. A second Hunter Killer comes up behind Catherine and attempts to lock missiles onto her aircraft. As she manoeuvres to avoid her foe, I come up behind it and blast its left engine with my nose cannon. Fortunately, the uranium tipped shells rip apart the engine, sending the second Hunter Killer to meet its brother at the bottom of the ocean.

Two more Hunter Killers drop on us from above and attempt to shoot us down with radar guided missiles. Catherine and I roll our planes to our left, releasing a special type of foil developed by the Resistance. The foil attracts the missiles, causing them to detonate far from our aircraft. We both climb to meet our opponents head on, and we each fire a Sidewinder. Two more Hunter Killers are struck in their engines and drop into the Atlantic. I have one Sidewinder left, but Catherine is now out of missiles. We will have to shoot our enemies down with our cannons.

Another Hunter Killer comes up behind Catherine, at extremely close range. She swerves to avoid the cannon fire, but she is unable to shake her pursuer. This is one very skilled drone.

"Charley! I can't get this guy off my ass!"

"Stay calm, I'll get him".

Adjusting my throttle, I attempt a manoeuvre that could save her life. It could also get us all killed, but that is a risk I am willing to take for her. I dart across the nose of the Hunter Killer, unloading my flares into its face. This temporary blinds the drone, which should buy Catherine enough time to escape.

"He's blind! Dive now!" She does. I swing around and fire my last Sidewinder at the stunned drone. Its engine explodes and it too crashes into the ocean. "Just like old times, eh Catherine?"

"Exactly like old times. More bandits incoming!"

The Hunter Killers switch to heat seeking missiles and open fire. We criss-cross across the sky, dropping flares to divert the missiles away from us. Two bandits throttle up to close the gap between us, and we both hit the breaks and let them fly right by us. Once behind our enemies, we destroy their engines with our nose cannons. One more kill a piece.

Another Hunter Killer drops in behind me and tries to blast me out of the sky. Catherine and I pull the old bait and switch routine. First, I attempt evasive manoeuvres to keep from being destroyed while she heads straight towards me at full throttle. At the last second, I roll right and dive. She attacks the drone head on, destroying its engine with her cannon. God bless whoever invented uranium tipped shells! They do wonders against all armoured targets, including Hunter Killers.

Two more drones remain, and the T-600s are beginning to use Stinger missiles. This could work to our advantage. With Catherine providing covering fire, I dive straight for the ship. As the plane carrying a nuclear warhead, I am the prime target. Both drones dive down and attempt to blast me to pieces. The T-600s, too distracted or too stupid to realize that they are being set up, fire their missiles at me. Skilfully, I swerve in and out to avoid the missiles. Each anti-aircraft missile slams head first into a Hunter Killer, disorienting them enough for Catherine and I to get behind them and finish them off with our cannons. The enemy's squadron has been neutralized; now to deal with the ship.

The vessel is heavily armoured, so our small nuclear weapon may not be enough to destroy it. We need an opening; an air shaft or an open hatch so that we can detonate the warhead within the ship itself. Meanwhile, the T-600s continue to launch Stingers which we continue to evade. They are terrible shots! This time, Catherine plays the part of the target while I sweep the deck clean of T-600s.

At this rate, we are blowing them up faster than they can rebuild them. Unfortunately, we are starting to run out of fuel. I must fire the missile, or this whole trip will have been for nothing. More T-600s come out with Stinger missiles. The morons still have not figured out our strategy: one of us distracts them while the other blows them all to hell. Either they will run out of T-600s, or we will run out of uranium tipped shells!

Suddenly, they give us the opening I was hoping for. Part of the deck opens up to reveal a hangar, full of Hunter Killers. As the Hunter Killers begin to take off, I fire the nuke directly at the hangar. The warhead detonates inside the hangar, destroying the vessel, the factory, and the remaining enemies. Mission accomplished in a bright flash of sound and light.

Catherine and I fly our A-10s over a wooded area where we have agreed to meet the others. Once we reach the rendezvous point, we eject and send our aircraft crashing into the woods. It is a shame; I would have liked to have kept an A-10. As I have previously stated: I belong in the air. For now, I will have to settle for parachuting into a forest. Unfortunately, I get stuck in a tree.

"Well, this is embarrassing".

After about ten minutes, I spot Sarah driving a jeep through the woods. I shout as loud as I can to attract her attention, and I am eventually spotted by Cameron who is sitting in the passenger's seat. The Connor clan pulls under the tree that I am currently trapped in, and Catherine climbs up to cut me down.

"Well, this is a new experience".

"Landed on target?"

"It was a perfect drop. Unlike yours".

"Hey, I'm used to flying INSIDE of a plane, not jumping out of it". Catherine cuts the ropes holding my parachute, and I land flat on my ass. Allison begins to crack up. "I am so glad you find this amusing".

"Would you like me to kiss it better?"

"NO!" My reaction causes everyone to burst out laughing. Sarah is the first one to regain a sense of seriousness.

"The factory?"

"Nuclear vapour! We also splashed two squadrons of Hunter Killers. All in all, I'd say we had a good day out there".

"Not to mention the dozens of T-600s we tore apart with our cannons. This should upset SkyNet tremendously".

"That is true, mother. Unfortunately, there are other factories in operation".

"And I doubt you have any more nukes lying around".

"I can only manufacture nuclear warheads when I have nuclear power cores. The only source of said power cores are...."

"The bodies of dead Terminators. We know, J.H. Well, I guess we should start hunting Terminators. What do you say?"

"It is not that easy, Charley".

"It never is. But, we will do it anyway".


	28. Chapter 28

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXVIII

Terminator hunting is not an easy job. First, you have to actually find the Terminators. Then, you have to corner the bastards so that they can not slip away. They are usually heavily armoured and heavily armed, which would make such an operation suicidal for humans. Fortunately, not everyone in the new Connor Clan is human. Plus, we now have our first informant: Charlotte.

"Are you sure about this warehouse?"

"Trust me; this is like Terminator Central. I guarantee that we will encounter at least one Terminator here".

When we reach the warehouse, a T-888 opens the door and shoots me in the head with an M82 assault rifle. I had always wondered what it felt like to be shot with one of those; it is very unpleasant. After the T-888 as demolished most of my face, I return the favour and destroy it. As carefully as possible, I approach the entrance and stick my head through the doorway.

"Well, at least we know this is the right place".

"Are you all right, Lieutenant?"

"I'm fine, let's keep going"

Cautiously, we enter the warehouse in squad formation. Sarah and Cameron are carrying the new plasma rifles, while Reese and I use the old M82s. Catherine does not carry a weapon, mostly because she doesn't have to. Charlotte has a basic nine millimetre, but she is here as a guide rather than as an assault unit. The mission is simple, locate and eliminate all Terminators within the building.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the reflection of another T-888 in a piece of glass. Using hand signals, so as not to alert the T-888, I communicate with Reese and set up an ambush. As quietly as possible, we take up shooting positions and wait for our target to turn the corner. As soon as it does, we unload our M82s and completely obliterate its head.

Suddenly, we come under sniper fire. I use hand signals to instruct everyone else to take cover while I deal with our new enemy. Standing up, I rush towards a position that will give me a clear line of sight of the shooter. He fires at me, and I am hit repeatedly in the head, back, and neck. As soon as I have a clear shot, I take it and destroy the right side of the shooter's head. We have been in here less than ten minutes, and we have already killed three T-888s.

We make our way through the warehouse with Catherine as lead scout and Reese and I on her flanks. If we encounter enemy resistance, they will shoot Catherine first. As a T-1000 series Terminator, Catherine can absorb bullets and shrapnel, which makes her the ideal person to lead this charge. Cameron and Sarah are in the rear, covering us with their plasma rifles.

"Keep quiet, we have no idea how many Terminators are in this building".

"Roger that, Lieutenant".

"Shush! I just heard something".

There is a noise coming from a nearby closet. I creep towards it in an attempt to investigate. Just as I am about to open the closet door, someone inside fires a shotgun and blasts me directly in the chest. A T-888 breaks through the closet door and charges me. We engage in hand to hand combat, eventually rolling around the floor like bar room brawlers. Just as the bastard lands on top of me, Reese blasts him in the head. I push him off and he collapses into a lifeless pile of scrap metal.

"Thanks for the assist".

"No problem. Let's keep moving".

"Is this what it was like for you in the infantry?"

"No. Back then, we were the ones being hunted".

We continue our search of the warehouse. When we reach a pile of boxes, another T-888 leaps out at Catherine and shoots her in the head with a pistol. My red headed beauty smiles, turns her arms into blades, and impales the attacking brute. I watch in amazement as she calmly rips the power core out of the other Terminator's chest.

"You, my dear, are a force of nature". She smiles, I love to see her smile.

"Thank you. There are a lot of enemy combatants here". She turns to Charlotte. "Is there a reason for that?"

"This is kind of their unofficial headquarters. It's where they meet and coordinate attacks. You should probably destroy this building after you have cleared it of Terminators". Sarah points her rifle at Charlotte. This could get ugly.

"How do you know all of this?"

"Um, I've head things. Strippers hear a lot more than people think".

"From Terminators? In strip clubs?"

"Yes".

"Bullshit. How do you really know all of this?"

"Put your weapon down Sarah, she's on our side".

"She might be Terminator".

"I already know that she is".

"You know?"

"She told me. She has also had many opportunities to betray us, and she hasn't".

"That you know of".

"Trust me on this; she's with us. Now, point that thing at the real bad guys". Sarah finally puts down the rifle and falls back into formation. Charlotte walks up to me and whispers in my ear.

"Thank you".

"I didn't do it for you".

Sarah and Cameron keep whispering to each other. They are probably discussing ways to execute Charlotte without anyone else finding out about it. It is ironic when you think about it: a Terminator that cares about the Connor family so much that she is willing to execute her own kind. I wonder if Sarah and Cameron got along this well before I arrived. Memo to self: ask Cameron and Sarah about their relationship.

When we reach the top of a large staircase, two T-888s carrying M-16s come running at us and open fire. Catherine converts her body into a massive shield and absorbs the enemy machine gun fire. Reese and I take up positions behind her; I aim for the one on the right and he aims for the one on the left. The moment they run out of ammunition and are forced to reload, Catherine oozes into the floor and gives us a clear shot. Reese and I aim at our targets and open fire, simultaneously destroying both Terminators.

"Where do these stairs go?"

"To the back exit. Those should have been the last Terminators".

"Good, let's collect the bodies and get the hell out of here!" As we prepare to move out, John Connor mysteriously appears.

"John? What are you doing here?" I know what that is! SHIT!

"EVERYONE GET DOWN! THAT IS NOT JOHN!"

Strangely enough, he doesn't aim for me or anyone else in the Connor Clan. He points his right arm at Charlotte, and transforms it into a plasma rifle. As fast as I can, I run to her and throw her to the ground behind me. As I spin Charlotte around, the false John shoots me in the back. I'm not sure, but I think he got my heart.

The world seems to move in slow motion as I fall to the ground. I can hear the sounds of plasma rifles firing, and I see the flashes of energy weapons zoom over me. Breathing is getting harder, my vision is getting blurry. The warehouse fills with the sounds of people screaming, plasma rifles firing, and energy discharges exploding. Charlotte kneels next to my head.

"You...you saved my life. Thank you".

"I didn't do it for you. I did it because of John Connor. I owe that man too much to let his daughter's girlfriend get blown away. He is my mentor, my commanding officer, and my friend. He loves Sarah, and she loves you". There are tears in her eyes.

"Thank you. Hang in there, you can't die! You can't!"

"It wasn't your fault. You were trying to help us, and that is why they tried to kill you. Things starting to go black on me". Catherine's beautiful face comes into view. She is right beside me, holding my hand.

"Catherine, my angel. I guess this is goodbye. Have a good life, I love you".

"Hold on, Charley. We'll get you out of here. Charley? CHARLEY!" The last thing I see is her terrified face.

When I finally regain consciousness, I am lying in a hospital bed. I have no idea how I got here, or where the hell here is. What happened in the warehouse? Did I die again? Why am I in a hospital gown? Where are my pants? The door to my room opens up, and a smiling Catherine walks in.

"You're awake! That is very good. Here: you must be thirsty". I take a few sips of water.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in a hospital in Los Angeles. I managed to keep you alive long enough to get here. Then, I shape shifted into a surgeon and got you a new heart. We used parts from the TX and T-888s to put you back together. You should make a full recovery. How are you feeling?"

"Like I died and came back, again".

"Charley, that is pretty much what happened. For a few moments, I thought I had lost you. But I refused to give up. A few hours of surgery later and here you are".

"Thank you Catherine. You saved me".

"Well, you've saved me so many times I thought it was time to return the favour".

"What happened in the warehouse?"

"Sarah and Cameron managed to demolish the TX's head with their plasma rifles. They destroyed its right arm, too. The rest was salvaged and used to fix you. The warehouse itself has been demolished and all of the Terminators have been disassembled. We won this time, Charley".

"I love you, Catherine Weaver".

"Get some rest. By the way, you have another visitor".

"Allison?"

"Not quite" replied young Sarah.

"Colonel, I'm glad to see you. Charlotte is well?"

"She is. You saved her, thank you. I am in your debt. Everyone else made it out all right. If my father were here, he would give you a medal for your actions".

"I'll mention it to him the next time I see him".

"Sure you will. In the mean time, you will just have to accept these". Young Sarah pulls out a pair of silver bars and places them on my pillow. "Congratulations, Captain. You've earned it". I salute and attempt to snap to attention, which makes Catherine giggle.

"Easy, Captain Macho! You'll tear your stitches".

"I outrank you now, right?"

"That is correct, Sir!"

"Then I order you to climb into this bed with me". Catherine cracks up.

"Charley, if you tried to make love now, you would fall apart like a rusted bicycle".

"I don't want to have sex, Catherine. I just want to hold you in my arms. Don't make me pull rank, Lieutenant". With a huge smile on her face, she climbs into the hospital bed and curls up beside me. "I thought I would never see you again".

"It's a good thing I am such a skilled surgeon, or you would be a pile of scrap metal. Close your eyes and get some rest".

"How long until I can rejoin the others?"

"We heal faster than humans, so you should be back on your feet within a day or two".

"I can't wait". I kiss her forehead.

"Pleasant dreams, Captain Zacks".

"Thank you Lieutenant. I will see you again, very soon". I hold her tightly in my arms, afraid to let go. I almost died today, I almost lost her forever. "Good night, my angel".


	29. Chapter 29

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXIX

A few days after the assault on the warehouse, Catherine drives me back home. When I walk into the Safe House, Savannah actually ran up and gave me a hug. As her mother's boyfriend, I am the closest thing she has to a father. Allison was also overjoyed to see me alive and well. Reese actually shook my hand.

"Welcome back, Charley. Congratulations on your promotion".

"Thank you, Lieutenant. It's good to be back. By the way, stop calling me Charley; I outrank you now".

"Roger that, Captain".

"Thank you, Lieutenant". We hug each other. It is a demonstration of mutual respect and camaraderie. We both proved our worth during the warehouse assault, the difference was that I nearly died and he didn't. Cameron and Charlotte pick up the plasma rifles and head towards the door.

"Well, we're heading out. It's good to see you again, Captain Zacks".

"Wait, where are you going?" Cameron replies in her usual, monotonous tone that gives me the creeps.

"We might have a lead on the T-600s. We are going to investigate".

"I'll come with you". As I reach for my old M82, Catherine grabs my arm.

"No, you won't. You are in no condition for a fight".

"What the hell? They go into battle and I have to stay here?"

"With you temporarily out of action, the humans will have to start picking up the slack".

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better. Thank you, Catherine".

"You didn't let me finish! With the humans in the field, we will need more medical supplies to patch them up. Why don't you take Reese and....appropriate some medical supplies from the hospital".

"You want two soldiers to steal from a hospital? Does anyone else see a problem with this?" Reese taps me on the shoulder.

"Don't think of it as stealing. Think of it as....borrowing with the intention to keep".

"I do not like this".

"We need those supplies. Come on, Captain. Let's get whatever we can and get home before anyone knows we are there".

"I can order you to not do this, Reese". John walks over to me with a stern look on his face.

"In that case, I am ordering you to acquire those supplies. Now, Captain".

"As you wish, General". This seems wrong on so many levels.

Reese and I take one of the non armoured cars, to attract less attention. I can't even remember when we got this one. All of this stealing: stealing cars, stealing medical supplies, possibly even stealing a heart. Granted, that saved my life, but this is still not a soldier's work. Can`t we just pay one of the countless lowlifes in Los Angeles to steal this shit, and then break his arms if he tries to double cross us. Strong arming criminals is a lot more honourable than stealing from hospitals.

When we reach the hospital, we decide to try and sneak in through the morgue; less chance of being spotted that way. The door is locked, so I break it down. Fortunately, there is no one in sight but dead people, and they can not tell anyone that we are here. Unfortunately, I can hear the footsteps of the mortician, and he is coming this way. When he walks in, he sees us standing in front of what is left of the door.

"This is an outrage. Who are you? How dare you?" He sees me and he is furious. Then he sees Reese, and he turns white as a sheet. "YOU!" He looks as though he has seen a ghost.

"You know him?" The mortician starts to run.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"Wait!"

I leap over a table, surprising myself and the mortician. I cut him off at the doorway and block his escape route. He tries to get by me, and I grab him and push him into a wall. Grabbing him under his arms, I lift him as high as possible.

"Have you seen me on the news?"

"Yes".

"You know what I am capable of, right?"

"Yes".

"Then why the hell are you afraid of him".

"He's.....look in that file cabinet and you will see why". I drop the man and he falls flat on his ass.

"Show me".

He walks over to the cabinet and pulls out a file. After briefly flipping through it he hands it to me. Just as I begin to read the file, I notice that he is slowly slipping away towards the door. I grab him by the shoulder and throw him into a nearby chair. We go through the file together. It...it can't be. It's not possible. Is it? I look at Reese, then at the file.

"What is it?" How do I tell him? I have to lie.

"Nothing. Just some unfortunate stiff that got shot in the head. Nothing for you to worry about".

"If it is nothing, why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Like what Reese?"

"Like that! What's in this file, anyway?" He grabs the file and begins to read it.

"REESE WAIT!" I stand by as the poor bastard reads the report on his own autopsy. Reese looks like he is going to collapse. I have never seen him this terrified before.

"I'm....I'm dead?" The mortician answers his question.

"Gun shot wound to the head. I am.....sorry?" I start to scream at the man.

"SHUT UP YOU INSENSITIVE PRICK!" Not my proudest moment. Poor Reese looks like he is going into shock.

"I can't believe Sarah didn't tell me".

"Maybe she didn't know".

"Of course she knew! She knew that I was going to die and she didn't tell me".

"That report was written months ago. You may have jumped right over it".

"If there was an autopsy, then there was a body. For there to be a body, I had to die. I am going to go back into the past, and I am going to die".

"To hell with that! As long as you are with me, you are not going to die. Is that understood, Lieutenant Reese?" Reese smiles at me.

"Understood, Captain Zacks".

"Do you have a lighter?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you are obviously not deceased. If the dead guy isn't actually dead, then I don't see why he needs to have an autopsy. Do you?"Reese starts to laugh and pulls out his lighter, which greatly disturbs the mortician.

"You can't do that! Those are official documents!"

"What's this table made out of?"

"Steel. Why?" I put my fist through it.

"Any other objections?" The mortician smiles awkwardly and shuts up. Reese lights the file, and then hands it to me to dump in the trash. "We don't need no water, let the mother fucker burn".

"HEY!"

"No, I didn't mean it like.....this happened long before you started to......I should just pick a new song".

"Good idea. I have a better one: just stop singing".

"No problem, Lieutenant. Let's get the supplies we need". I turn to address the stunned mortician. "Now, you stay here and keep quite. Otherwise, I will do to you what I did to the table. Understood?" He doesn't say anything, he just nods. As we head out to find what we need, Reese taps me on the shoulder.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I know what it is like to come back from the dead. The experience can be a little....jarring. Speaking of which, would you like to see if I can turn off someone's pacemaker?" I pull out my new cell phone and start dialling, which makes Reese laugh.

"Ok. Gag's over. Put that away before someone notices". Whoever picks up the phone sends the stupid recognition code, which they have still neglected to tell me.

"Oh for Christ's sake! Reese, what is the God damn recognition code?"

"Just push these buttons".

"Ok. Ok, I got it". Sarah's voice replies to the recognition code.

"Recognition code rejected. Please try again".

"Very funny Sarah".

"You do realize that using a cell phone in a hospital is a good way to attract attention".

"Not as much as bringing a dead guy who was autopsied in this hospital".

"Excuse me?"

"I saw the autopsy report on Reese. Did you know that he was dead?" It takes a few moments for her to formulate a response.

"God. He didn't see the report, did he?"

"He read the report. Since he was still alive, we burned the damn thing. Did you know he was dead or not?"

"Did she know?"

"I'm trying to find out. Please stop interrupting me".

"Oh God! I didn't want him to know".

"So you did know".

"I was there".

"You were there?"

"SHE WAS THERE? SHE WAS THERE WHEN I DIED AND SHE DIDN"T TELL ME?" I can hear Sarah crying.

"I didn't want him to know. God, I didn't even want to think about it". While she is talking, I switch to speakerphone so that Reese could also hear her. "John was there too, and so were Savannah and John Henry, to a certain extent. A triple eight was trying to kill Savannah, and Reese took one in the head. We've been so busy since then; we never got a chance to mourn for him. Then he came back, and....God why is everything so God damn complicated. I'm...I'm so sorry, but I am still trying to come to terms with his death".

"It's all right, Sarah. I forgive you".

"REESE? When did he hand the phone to you?"

"You're on speakerphone, Sarah. Everyone can hear you".

"Zacks you bastard!"

"That's Captain Bastard to you, civilian!" They both start laughing. "Even when we are discussing an autopsy, I've still got it".

"Zacks, excuse me, Captain Bastard, shut up! Reese, we will talk when you get back. Ok?"

"Ok. Goodbye Sarah, I love you". That is the first time he has said it in public. Both Sarah and I are in shock. After she has recovered, Sarah returns his sentiments.

"I love you too, Derrick. I'll see you when you get back. Goodbye". She hangs up and I shove the phone back into my pocket.

"I am so replaying this for the others".

"Shut up, Sir!"

"Ha ha! You got the list of what we need?"

"I've got it right here".

"Good". I break down another door. "Let's go shopping". As we fill our bags with medical supplies, we attract the attention of a displeased doctor.

"What the hell are you two doing in here?"

"What does it look like we are doing? We're stealing medicine".

"I'm calling security".

"Let me help you with that". I punch through a solid brick wall and rip the phone out of the next room. I then throw it at the stunned physician. As we turn to leave, the doctor just stands in the doorway with a stunned look on his face. "Move or the wall won't be the only thing with a fist sized hole in it".

The doctor moves out of our way and we begin to walk down the halls. A security guard grabs me by the shoulder, and I shove him into a wall knocking him unconscious. A second security guard pulls out his sidearm and shoots me twice in the head.

"You must have a death wish".

I walk towards the guard, imitating the movements of Terminators when they are about to kill someone. The guard flees in terror, but two more come out and start shooting me. They run away as soon as they realize that their weapons are useless.

"Reese, go get the car. I'll meet you with the supplies half way between here and the Safe House".

"Why should we split up?"

"I can hear police sirens outside".

"Good reason. I'll see you later. Good luck".

Reese doubles back to the morgue and gets our car. I leave through the front exit, and encounter a reception from the LAPD. They fire at me with pistols, rifles, and machine guns. I just continue to walk towards them, completely undamaged. When the police realize that their fire will not slow me down, they abandon their positions and run.

The police had set up a blockade of police cruisers, and I smash through them in a matter of seconds. Another police cruiser drives straight towards me; I punch through the hood and destroy its engine. After the two police officers have abandoned the vehicle, I flip over the cruiser and walk towards a truck. Tearing the door off of the driver's side of the vehicle, I ordered the driver to get out and give me the keys. He does without complaint. I then drive off to meet Reese.

"What happened back there?"

"I smashed three police cruisers and scared the hell out of a lot of people".

"Oh, so a normal day then". I start to laugh.

"Home, Reese".


	30. Chapter 30

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXX

When we return to the Safe House, we find Charlotte helping John to patch up Cameron. Her skin has been ripped to shreds in several places, and part of her face is missing. Even her left breast is covered with bullet holes.

"What the hell happened to her?" Cameron, in her usual monotonous tone, enlightens me about her condition.

"I underestimated the enemy's resistance. There were far more hostile units than I had anticipated".

"You look like you were playing catch with a hand grenade. Why is it that Cameron looks completely demolished and Charlotte doesn't have a scratch on her?"

"I was in front of Charlotte when the T-600s opened fire with their Gatling guns. As a result, I took all of the damage. Had our positions been reversed, it would have been Charlotte that sustained damage".

"Is she going to be all right?"

"Cameron didn't suffer any major damage, so she should be fine. It will take her a couple of days to completely heal, but she should make a full recovery".

That is good news. John and Cameron are very close; too close if you ask me. I wonder if John knows that he is destined to wed someone else. I knew his wife: she was a very beautiful and very intelligent woman. As a soldier, she was an angel of death; as a surgeon, she was an angel of mercy. She even operated on me a few times. Connor always said that he met his wife before J-Day, I hope that still happens; for my sake and for the sake of every other soldier she saved.

"Come on, Cameron. Let's see if Catherine can help us put you back together". John and Cameron leave to find Catherine. Charlotte is holding a bed pan full of bullets.

"You need a new set of pliers. These are worn out".

"We've had to remove a lot of bullets over the past few months".

"What do you do with these after you remove them?"

"John Henry can do wonders with melted bullets. He can use them to make parts, equipment, weapons, even new bullets. We don't waste anything here, including spent enemy ammunition".

"Recycled bullets; now I have heard everything. Well, I'm off". As Charlotte heads towards the door, she turns to kiss young Sarah on the lips. "I'll see you at the apartment later?"

"Of course, I'll see you later tonight. Bye, lover". They kiss again. I am doing my best to look in the other direction. Though they are two attractive young women, one of them is my Commanding Officer's daughter.

"Reese is with Sarah, young Sarah is with Charlotte, and John is with Cameron. Why am I the only one here that is alone right now?"

"It sure is lonely at the top, right Captain?"

"Don't get cute, Sarah. You might outrank me officially, but I am still a better officer than you".

"For now, Captain". Charlotte drives away and young Sarah retreats to her room. After young Sarah has finished slamming her door, John Henry sticks his head out with a huge smile on his face.

"What are you so happy about?"

"I think I have a way to destroy the second factory".

"What are you talking about?"

"SkyNet has a mobile factory in each of the Seven Seas. The purpose of this is to ensure rapid global deployment when Judgement Day arrives. You have already destroyed one of the seven floating factories, and I think that I have located a second vessel off of the Pacific coast".

"You do realize that they will have doubled their anti-aircraft defences by now. An attack on another ship would probably be a one way trip".

"That is why I suggest that we bypass their defences and attack from within".

"Ok, you've lost me".

"I've managed to hack into the global satellite networks. By using a special signal that I have developed, I should be able to take control of a single Hunter Killer drone. We land the drone, load a nuclear warhead into the vehicle, and then you fly the vehicle by remote into the enemy factory. Once you have landed inside, I detonate the warhead and SkyNet will be missing another factory".

"J.H., that plan sounds crazy enough to work. When's zero hour?"

"Tonight, we will head out in the armoured truck and go searching for Hunter Killers. You might want to man the railgun, just in case this doesn't work".

"Just to recap: we will be driving a truck with a nuclear weapon in the back, and attempt to hijack an enemy drone while it is still flying with a signal that you have never tested?"

"Yes, that about sums it up. Any objections?"

"This should be a blast".

John Henry and I spend the rest of the afternoon preparing the bomb and the railgun for our excursion. We rig a computer and a joystick to act as a mobile flight control center for the drone. This will be just like using my old flight simulators, with the addition of live nuclear ordinance. We put the bomb in the back of the truck, along with the railgun, John Henry's laptop, and our home made flight controller.

"Let's roll!"

Reese is acting as our driver this evening; mainly because everyone else was already occupied. We drive through the desert, waiting to attract a Hunter Killer. Finally, an enemy drone begins to descend upon us. John Henry begins to download his signal by bouncing it off of various satellites. The theory is that SkyNet will not be able to trace the signal, nor detect it until it is too late. Assuming, of course, that it works.

"Now would be a good time, John Henry". I spin the railgun around and aim at the Hunter Killer that is following us. My finger is on the trigger, but our plan can not work if I destroy the drone.

"Download complete. I should have control right.....about....now". The Hunter Killer keeps getting closer. Suddenly, it stops midair and begins to land in the desert. "Control has been transferred to your station. Reese, stop the truck! Captain, help me move the warhead".

Together, we pick up the nuke and carry it to the Hunter Killer. I tear a panel off of the hull, which enables John Henry to load the missile within the drone's hull. Once the missile is in place, I replace the panel and screw it back onto the hull. Step one complete; now to fly our bomb into the enemy's ship.

"The hull should mask the radiation signature. I am downloading the vessel's coordinates to your station; you just need to follow it".

John Henry has built the control station to imitate the controls for the Harrier in a flight simulator, which makes it incredibly easy to use. This is all second nature to me. With me at the controls, the Hunter Killer takes off from the desert and heads out towards the Pacific.

"How do the controls feel, Captain?"

"J.H., all of the wasted years of my youth are flooding back to me. It is like I am back in my old room, playing flight simulators and wishing something interesting would happen".

"I would definitely call this interesting, Captain".

"So would I. Coming up on the target area. Here's hoping I don't get shot down".

Surprisingly, the Hunter Killer performs exactly like a Harrier. I have actually flown the Harrier on several air patrols, but the Harrier lacked the armoured protection of the A-10. That is why the Harrier was eventually retired by the Resistance; she just couldn't take a pounding like the A-10 could. The Hunter Killer has the flight characteristics of the Harrier combined with the armour protection of the A-10. The one thing it normally doesn't have is a skilled pilot. Catherine and I can fly circles around the Hunter Killers with our A-10s.

Flying at full speed, I reach the Pacific coast in no time at all. It takes less than thirty minutes to find the target. The airspace around the ship is swarming with Hunter Killers. They give me a quick once over and then let me pass. They actually think that I am one of them. I fly a few laps around the area and pretend to be conducting a routine air patrol, which should throw off these incredibly moronic early Terminators. I am amazed that these things managed to kick our asses for so long. The ship is directly ahead of me, now to try and land on it.

"Uh, J.H.? Exactly how am I going to get inside that thing?"

"I am using my computer to hack into your radar dish and emit a signal that will open the hangar deck. Then you will fly the drone into the hangar and I will transmit the detonation code using this keypad. The bomb will destroy the ship in seconds".

"Man, I hate landing in a hot zone".

"Why is that?"

"The last time I flew a Harrier, I took an anti-aircraft round in the right thigh. My controls were wrecked and I ended up doing a nose first landing in a combat zone".

"Then what happened?"

"Someone dragged my ass back to base and Connor's wife put me back together. That's what I always hated about the Harrier; she was vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire".

"If we're lucky, these hostiles will not be shooting at you. If they do start shooting, at least you will not get hit this time".

"Just send the damn signal, and pray that we didn't just waste one of our nukes".

John Henry types rapidly on his keyboard, and the hatch opens like clockwork. Carefully, I manoeuvre the drone into the enemy hanger and conduct a perfect landing. The Hunter Killer is quickly surrounded by T-600s; whether they suspect anything or not is unknown. I cut the engines and power done the drone. Here's hoping the bomb works.

"All yours, J.H". John Henry begins to punch in the code to detonate the warhead on his control pad.

"Bippity, boppity, and,,,,,,,boom!"

Suddenly, all communications cease between us and the drone. John Henry uses his hacking skills to obtain a satellite image of the area where the ship used to be. After a few minutes of expert hacking, he sees something that makes us want to jump for joy.

"Confirmed nuclear detonation. Enemy vessel has been neutralized".

"WE DID IT! YAHOO!"The mood quickly changes as John Henry begins to frantically type on his laptop. "What is it?"

"My brother is attempting to lock me out of the satellite networks. I am attempting to maintain signal lock". John Henry types so quickly that I think the computer is going to either crack or burst into flames. Finally, he stops typing.

"Well?"

"I have been locked out of every satellite in earth orbit".

"Have you tried hacking into classified military satellites?"

"I have attempted to hack into the reconnaissance satellites of every nation: Russian, North and South Korean, Iranian, Israeli, etc. My brother has locked me out of all of them. We will not be able to commandeer another Hunter Killer drone".

"So, we will find another way to deliver the warheads. This isn't a defeat, John Henry".

"I don't think you realize just how serious this is; without satellite imaging, I can't locate the other five factories".

"John Henry, your brother had intended to carry out his attacks from seven mobile factories. Because of us, two of those factories have been vaporized. This is definitely a win in my book".

"We will need to find an entirely new source of information to locate the other five".

"Then we will. Come on, you are the man that can turn dead robots into nuclear bombs, and you think THIS is a problem?"

"Good point".

"Let's face facts: your brother doesn't stand a chance against us. We are the ultimate machines, not him and his pathetic T-600s".

"Let us pray that those words are prophetic, Captain Zacks".

"Amen, John Henry".


	31. Chapter 31

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXI

A few days after John Henry and I had vaporized a SkyNet floating factory, Catherine arrived at the safe house with invitations to some swanky party. Sarah, Cameron, and Allison accepted her invitations quite enthusiastically. I was a different story.

"I'm a soldier, not a spy or a hot shot business executive. Let the Infiltrators have their fun and leave the fighting to me".

"I think you will be quite interested in what occurs at this party".

"Might I ask why?"

"Because there will be many representatives from Cyberdine there".

"Cyberdine? As in, the people that invented the Terminators and the Hunter Killers? The people that invented the technology to turn ME into a MACHINE? That Cyberdine?"

"I knew you would be interested".

"I'm not interested in talking to them; I am interested in breaking their necks. They are responsible for all of the shit that has happened to us".

"And the ones responsible for you and I being reunited".

"John Connor also helped us out; in many ways, actually. However, it is probably too late to kill them anyway. SkyNet is already operational and the Terminators are coming off of the assembly lines. Maybe I will just smack them around a little". Ironically, Catherine smacks me on the nose like a dog.

"No! No smacking people around! Bad Charley!" We can't help but laugh at this. It is so absurd. After we have calmed down, we continue our serious conversation about the party. "Listen, I think we will have a great time at this thing. Plus, we just might be able to do a little business while we are there".

"Business? With Cyberdine? Are you insane?"

"With all of the bad publicity of late, I just might be able to buy Cyberdine. Imagine everything we could learn about SkyNet by purchasing its creator".

"If you think this will help with the war effort, then I will come with you. Just don't expect me to act like prince charming at the ball".

"Why would I start expecting that?"

"HEY!" I start to chase Catherine around the Safe House, and it feels like the old days: back when I thought that she was human and when I actually was human. We laugh and tease each other; it is the best I have felt in many months.

When the time comes to head out for the big party, I feel like a complete tool. Cameron, Sarah, and Allison are wearing their best clothing, but I am wearing a tuxedo that Catherine rented for me. Catherine says that I look like a young Sean Connery, but I think that I look more like a waiter than like James Bond. As for Catherine, she is wearing the most beautiful evening gown that anyone has ever seen. Of course, the gown is just an extension of her own body, but it is still a beauty to behold. Her driver picks us up at around seven in the evening, and we arrive an hour later.

It amazes me how well Sarah and the others blend into the crowd. Sarah is a natural liar, and Cameron was built to deceive people. Allison tries to imitate whatever Cameron is doing, which is ironic because Cameron was designed to imitate Allison. I, on the other hand, stick out like a sore thumb. I do not have any experience in this kind of field work; I'm more of a blow the hell out of everything kind of guy. There are so many buffoons in suits and lackeys carrying cameras to film all of this. Catherine is chatting with some corporate tool in a business suit; I might have to kill him later.

"Charley! Come over here, there is someone I would like you to meet". I walk over to where my girlfriend is chatting with a monkey in a suit. Man, I hate that guy. "Captain Zacks, this is Rick Zuckerman; Vice President of Cyberdine".

"Captain, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We at Cyberdine are huge supporters of our military personnel".

"What a coincidence, Mr. Zuckerman. It just so happens that I was killed by a machine that was designed and built by Cybderine". Catherine has a facial expression which is a mixture of terror and rage. She can not believe that I am mentioning this. Zuckerman just looks lost.

"I'm afraid I don't follow you, Captain".

"My A-10 was shot down over a combat zone by a Hunter Killer aerial assault drone. Those are built by Cyberdine, aren't they?"

"Yes. Yes they are; but I can assure you that the machine that fired at you was experiencing a massive glitch. Experimental aircraft are expected to undergo numerous malfunctions, especially when deployed to a combat zone".

"Your malfunctioning machine got me killed, Mr. Zuckerman".

"Since you are alive and talking to me, I believe your argument is flawed".

"Funny story: My plane blew up while I was still in it, and I woke up six years later inside a robotic body. Which company desecrates human remains and places them in mechanical bodies, Mr. Zuckerman?"

"That project was cancelled many years ago, Captain. You are mistaken".

"Then explain THIS!" I grab his shirt with one hand and lift him over my head.

"CHARLEY! PUT HIM DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

"If I were still human, and not a half human/half machine freak, could a puny man like me lift you with one arm?"

"Listen to me! That project was cancelled years ago! Whoever it was that experimented with your remains did so without the knowledge of Cyberdine".

"Or the knowledge of my next of kin. No one asked my family if they could turn me into a walking weapon!"

"Cyberdine had no knowledge...."

"YOU DEVELOPED THE TECHNOLOGY THAT BUILT ME!" Everyone is starring at us. My outburst has been captured on film to be shown on the twenty four hour news networks. Zuckerman looks like he will burst into tears at any moment.

"Please, I have a family!"

"So did I; once". I drop him flat on his ass. "Next time your company decides to pull shit like this, don't ask yourselves how you can do it; ask if you should do it. From where I'm standing, you have no right to turn people into robots". Catherine and Sarah look absolutely furious. I turn towards the terrified camera crew. "There, I have said what I came here to say. This is Captain Charles Zacks, deceased, signing off". As I begin to storm off, an elderly gentleman calls my name.

"Captain Zacks! If you could stay here a little longer, I have something to show you".

"I'm listening".

"My name is Albert Thirsk, I am the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cyberdine. Over the past few months, our robotics division has been plagued by numerous disasters. The attacks against the Los Angeles Police Department, the air strike on the Los Angeles Air Show, and various other catastrophes that were caused by our drones". Thirsk; why does that name sound so familiar?

"You have just listed every reason I need to open your neck".

"The problem has been that we have relied too heavily on artificial intelligence. We thought that our robots could do the job more efficiently than men. We were wrong".

"No shit, Sherlock".

"CHARLEY!"

"Hey, a lot of people have died because of these schmucks".

"I must ask that you watch your language, Captain. My grandson is with me, and I would prefer that he not learn your colourful metaphors". When I see the boy, I feel queasy. I knew that name sounded familiar: Albert Thirsk the third was a young Resistance pilot that I was responsible for. During a training mission, we were jumped by Hunter Killers and the poor boy slammed into a mountain. Now, that same boy is right in front of me, ten years younger with no idea as to his fate. I feel sick.

"My apologies, Mr. Thirsk. Cute kid".

"Thank you. As I was saying, we have relied too heavily on artificial intelligence to run our machines. No longer!" I hear the sound of jet engines, and spot a Hunter Killer approaching our position.

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" People start to scream and try to find cover. Thirsk attempts to calm the situation.

"Everyone please, we are in no danger. That is not one of our unreliable drones, but a piloted vehicle flown by one of our most skilled test pilots. This vehicle is designed to safely transport a squad of infantry to the battlefield and then transport them back to base. If you will all direct your attention to the helipad outside of this window, we will give you a demonstration of our new, reliable aircraft".

As the aircraft begins its final approach, I can feel my pulse racing. I have fought these things so many times, and they have killed me once already. I am unarmed and there is a Hunter Killer a few feet away from me. Everyone here is exposed, and I pray that this truly is a different aircraft. Otherwise, we are screwed.

"As you can see: our pilot in full control of the aircraft. He will be available for questions after he has landed". The plane lands on the helipad, and the rear of the vehicle opens to allow the pilot to exit the vehicle. At first, I fail to recognize the pilot. When he reaches the door to the room we are in, I recognize his shape immediately. It is a T-600! Some lackey walks over to Thirsk.

"Sir, that is not our pilot".

"He's not? Then who the hell is he?" The T-600 pulls out a pistol and fires, hitting Thirsk in the side and killing the aide that spoke to him.

"GRANDPA!" Thirsk falls to the ground with blood gushing out from his wound.

"Security! Take him down!"

The people that are paid to protect these business hot shots come out from every direction and fire their pistols at the T-600. A gun battle ensues, and the security forces lose. One by one, the security personnel are gunned down by the T-600. Everyone hits the floor as bullets begin to fly through the ballroom. Everyone but me, of course.

"Why can't Cyberdine ever do anything right? Seriously, they keep screwing up and people keep getting killed". The T-600 notices me and starts to run towards the Hunter Killer. I am a lot faster than he is, so I catch him without difficulty. "Where do you think you are going?" I grab him just as the Hunter Killer takes off and flies away. I knew this was a bad idea!

I grab his mask and throw it aside, revealing the true face of this murdering machine. With the cameras still rolling, I throw the T-600 into the room so that it can not escape. Of course, there is the risk that it will kill someone, but I doubt it. These things are as dumb as dirt, so it will focus on me and forget about everyone else.

The T-600 tries to connect with a right hook, but I block it with my left arm and bring my right arm down on it as hard as possible. The impact snaps the T-600's right arm off of its chassis. It counter-attacks by shooting me in the head twice at point blank range. I knock the gun out of its hand, spin towards it, and connect with a karate chop that breaks off its left arm.

"What are you going to do now, num nutz?" The T-600 head buts me, which hurts like hell. I grab it by the shoulders and kick its left leg as hard as possible, breaking it off. Even with only one limb, he is still dangerous. I have not forgotten the time that a T-600 blew itself up in my face.

"Any last words?"

"Victory shall be forever beyond your reach. Against SkyNet, there is only death". Whatever. I grab its head and twist as hard as I can, tearing the head off of the chassis. Once the head has been removed, I throw it out a window and it lands on the roof of a Mercedes.

"Uh, whose Mercedes is parked across the street?" Zuckerman raises his hand.

"It's mine. Why?"

"A robotic head just smashed through the roof".

"WHAT?"

"Better that it destroyed the roof of your car than the top of your head. Speaking of which, will someone please remove the corpse of that aide near Mr. Thirsk. He is dripping blood and brain matter everywhere". Thirsk looks horrified, but not by the blood and gore that he is currently drenched in.

"My God! How could this happen? How could this happen?"

"That was the latest model of Terminator, you idiot. Your T-1s have evolved and they are now replacing humans. This is the legacy of Cyberine, Mr. Thirsk. This is your legacy: an army of near indestructible mass killing machines".

"Your head..."

"Bullet proof skull, courtesy of Cyberdine".

"No more. I am selling the company to the military. Let the American Government worry about all of this madness. I'm done".

"That is probably the most sense I have heard all day. Will some call an ambulance for Christ's sake?"

The ambulance arrives in time to save Mr. Thirsk, and he signs the contract giving the United States Department of Defence full control of Cyberdine. The LAPD have cordoned off the area, but that is completely pointless now. The gunman has been killed and his vehicle is long gone. A Department Of Defence agent tries to question me, but I am not cooperative.

"Captain Zacks, we just want to clarify a few things. Now, we have numerous eye witness reports that say that you took the killer robot apart with your bare hands. Is that correct?"

"It is, and I am about to do the same thing to you if you do not stop annoying me".

"Captain, this is pointless. Just cooperate and you can be home in a few hours".

"Hm, I don't think so". I jump out of nearby window, landing on the hood of a Ferrari. I flatten the car on impact, and begin to walk away just as a crowd begins to develop near the window that I had jumped out of. "See you later, folks".

The police that have closed off the area stare at me in shock. I just walk past them and through the yellow tape, and begin to walk home. Cyberdine now belongs to the American Government. Here's hoping that is a good thing. I will have a lot to think about during the walk home. I could use a little time to myself right now.


	32. Chapter 32

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXII

I spent most of the day walking back to the Safe House. It was quite peaceful: no one was trying to yell at me or kill me. Occasionally, I would stop by the side of the rode to just sit and look up at the sky. The desert can be quite beautiful when machines aren't trying to kill everything in it. Part of me didn't want to go home. Not because I didn't miss Catherine, but because I knew I would get yelled at. Granted, I didn't kill anyone that mattered; only a T-600. I wonder if the news cameras caught my good side during the fight?

When I reach the Safe House, I expect to be blasted for being AWOL for the last twenty four hours. Instead, I find everyone basically pacing back in forth in the living room. Well, almost everyone. Something has happened. It takes Catherine a few moments to realize that I am back.

"Oh, hello Charley. I was wondering when you would come home".

"What's going on?"

"Sarah is overdue from the store". That can not be good.

"Have you sent anyone to look for her?"

"No".

"May I ask why not?"

"You know as well as I do that everybody except for our two Johns is expendable; even Sarah Connor".

"Bullshit! I'm going to look for her". As I grab my M82 and a bag of hand grenades, John walks over to speak to me.

"You do know that if my mother was here, she would order you to let her go".

"Can you do that, General?"

"No, I can't. Good luck, Captain".

"I'll get her back, General. I promise. Could you hand me those extra clips of ammunition?"

"Here you go".

"Thanks. I'll see you in a few hours".

I jump into one of our cars and head into Los Angeles. The first place I check is the store that Sarah frequently visits for groceries. I drive around the back of the store and discover Sarah's car, deserted in a nearby alley. As I move in closer to investigate, some jackass tries to take me out with a taser. Infuriated, I grab his arm and crush it.

"Would I be correct in guessing that you are responsible for this woman's disappearance?"

"AAA! OH GOD MY ARM!" I throw the man into a nearby wall.

"Where is she?"

"If I tell you, they will kill me".

"If you don't tell me, then I will kill you".

"So, I'm dead either way?"

"Fuck this!" I punch through his chest and slam my fist into the wall behind him. If I am correct, then I would not need him alive.

He didn't walk here, so there must be a vehicle nearby. I spot a van around the corner; bingo. I smash in the window and open the door. As I had expected, there is a GPS in the van. I hotwire the GPS and discover the van's point of origin. That must be where Sarah is. Might as well take the van, they just might mistake me for one of them.

I follow the coordinates on the GPS to a compound on the other side of Los Angeles. Without a second thought, the people there open the gate and let me in. They actually think that I am the man from the alley. A second van pulls up alongside me, with two men in the cab.

"Howdy, friend. Anything to report?" I reach behind me and pull out a grenade.

"Yeah, I've got something to show you. Catch!" I pull the pin and throw the grenade into the cabin of the other van.

"OH SHIT!" The grenade explodes, destroying the cabin and killing both men.

Now, there is no doubt that I am not with them. We are in a courtyard that is full of similar vans, with heavily armed men jumping out of them. Men with AK 47s leap out of the van cabins and begin to fire at me. I find a good vantage point and engage my enemies in a gun battle. Using the scope on my M82, I manage to score head shots on all of my targets. Some men realize that this battle is lost and flee from their posts. I am not merciful, and I kill them all before they can escape. The courtyard is now filled with over a dozen corpses, each one with a bullet hole between his eyes. The two men that operated the main gate come out of their blockhouse and shoot me with their AK 47s. I shoot them both in the chest, killing them instantly. These men are all wearing body armour, but I am using armour piercing incendiary rounds.

I get back into my van and drive it just outside of the gate, where it should be out of reach of the enemy. Then, grab my grenades and extra ammunition cartridges and shut the gate. I throw a grenade into the cabin of each van, to ensure that no one escapes. After the vans have all been destroyed, I head inside the compound.

After smashing down the front door, I am confronted by a metal gate that is blocking my path. I attempt to tear through it, only to discover that it is electrified. I have no idea how many volts are surging through my body, but it hurts like hell. I release the gate and fall to my knees; in pain but not damaged. There has to be a junction box nearby, supplying the electricity to this booby trap. After examining the area, I locate the junction box and shoot it. The box is destroyed, the current is disabled, and I am tearing the gate apart. That is when I notice an open doorway near the gate. The enemy must have been waiting for the current to disable me. No such luck boys, I throw my last grenade through the doorway.

"GRENADE!"

The explosion is followed by the screams of men in pain. I walk into the room, and shoot everyone that it still moving. Then I move further into the compound. In one of the hallways, five men leap out with AK 47s and attempt to kill me. I kill them and move on. The hallway ends near a door leading to the next section of the compound. If I were defending this building, I would place a heavy machine gun directly behind this door. Rather than accommodate the defenders, I pick a spot on the hall and charge through it like a bull.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

I emerge through the wall directly behind their defensive position. I shoot them all before they can react. Ten men caught off guard, ten more kills to my tally. There is another door at the back of this room, I decide to charge through the door and confront the defenders head on. There are five men in the room; one is manning a heavy machine gun. A short battle ensues, and I kill everyone in the room. Then, I smash through the back wall and head into another hallway.

The defenders have erected barricades throughout this hallway. Crates have been piled from the floor to the ceiling, with slots for their AK 47s to fire through. Five men stand behind every barricade, firing at me like their lives depended on it. Actually, their lives ended the moment they took Sarah. I charge straight towards the barricades, taking numerous hits to the chest and head. When the defenders realize that they are not going to stop me, they begin to flee. I smash through the barricades and shoot the defenders, killing one man with every round fired. They retreat, regroup, and fire on me. I just aim my rifle at their heads and chests, and blast them all to hell. I crash through five barricades before reaching the end of the hallway, leaving twenty five corpses in my wake.

Men leap out of hidden panels and attack me from behind. They fire AK 47s and M16s, striking me in the back, chest, and head. I spin around and gun them down. The further I travel into the compound, the more determined the defenders are to stop me. I reach a series of rooms were ten men have gathered to try and stop me. They throw grenades and then run, stunned by my survival. The grenades explode and rip my flesh, but they do not damage me. Five men regroup in one room and engage me in a fire fight. I shoot all five of them in the head. The other five men have spread out along the hallway, taking up defensive positions. I march down the hall, firing once at each man. I never miss; the five men are killed where they stand.

As I approach the rear of the compound, men begin to charge me in an attempt to engage in hand to hand combat. One by one, I fight and kill them. I break their necks, bash in their heads, severe their spines, and slaughter everyone in my path. The final defenders lean in and out of doorways, firing at me and then taking cover. Rather than wait for them to run out of ammunition, I level my rifle and aim at the doorways. When a man pops out to open fire, I blow his head off. One by one, I kill the last of the defenders. At the very back of the compound, there is a heavy steel door that is bolted shut. Jackpot! I smash down the door and enter the final room in the compound.

"HERE'S CHARLEY!"

Inside the room, I find Sarah Connor tied to a chair and being water-boarded by two men. I shoot them both before they can react to my entrance. A third man throws down his AK 47 and offers to surrender to me. Unfortunately for him, I can not take prisoners and I shoot him in the chest. Sarah, blindfolded and disoriented, has no idea that I am here. All that she knows is that someone is shooting the hell out of this place. As I stand behind her, I notice that her body is tensing up. Without saying a word, I shatter the ropes that are binding her with my bare hands and remove the blindfold from her eyes. She turns her head and spots me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving you. Get behind me and put your arms around my neck". As she does this, I reach behind my back and use my left arm to support her weight.

"Other than to let you grab my butt, is there a reason we are doing this?"

"Yeah! Them". Everyone that is left in the compound is launching a counter attack against me. "Try to use my body as a shield while I take care of these clowns".

I fire until I am out of bullets, then I hand my rifle to Sarah and begin to gather weapons off of the dead. I grab AK 47s, M16s, Uzis, and Magnums off of the men that I have killed, fire them until they are out of bullets, and then gather more weapons. With only one free arm, I can not reload any weapon that I am using. I can only use the cartridge that is already in the gun, then drop it and grab another one. As I mow down the last of the men in the compound, I am constantly using my own body as a shield to protect Sarah from the oncoming barrage of bullets.

"Who are these guys?"

"They work for SkyNet. Kidnapping me was a retaliatory strike for destroying their factory".

"What did they want from you, anyway?"

"They wanted to use me to get to John. But I would rather die than betray my son".

"So would everyone else. Stay behind me, they have to be running out of men by now".

Occasionally, one or two men would get close enough to engage me in hand to hand combat. I bashed their heads in, took their weapons, and used them to shoot their comrades. By the time we reach the gate at the front of the compound, over one hundred men lie dead throughout the building. SkyNet is going to have to do a recruitment drive to replace everyone.

"Careful, the last time I passed through this gate it was electrified".

"Electricity can short out normal Terminators. They must have been expecting Cameron or John Henry".

"I did not know that. I will have to keep that in mind the next time I am fighting a Terminator".

The electric current has not been restored to the gate, so we pass through it without incident. As we exit the compound, I pick up a hand grenade from one of the bodies and lower Sarah to ground. I walk over to the van, punch a hole in the side of the vehicle, and toss the grenade inside it.

"OH SHIT!" The van explodes, killing whoever was inside waiting for us.

"How did you know they were in there?"

"It's what I would have done. You rest up while I call someone to pick us up".

I pull out my cell phone and call Reese to pick us up. Everyone is overjoyed that Sarah is alright, more or less anyway. Though she has been abducted and tortured, she is alive; which is more than I can say for the men that work for SkyNet. Chalk up another victory for the Resistance. Sarah is safe, our enemy's henchmen are dead, and their base is completely trashed. When we get back, I am going to pass out for a few hours. I am completely exhausted.


	33. Chapter 33

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXIII

When we get back to the Safe House, I retreat to my room and collapse on the floor. I don't even make it to my bed; I just fall asleep in the middle of the room. I slept for God only knows how many hours, but when I woke up, things were....strange. Someone had placed a sheet over me, and I could feel someone's leg moving against mine. Catherine had to attend a business meeting, so it could not be her. When I open my eyes, I nearly pass out: the person lying beside me is Sarah Connor wearing nothing but a bra and sweat pants!

"Whatever happened, I was not responsible for my actions". Sarah begins to laugh.

"Nothing happened; I have a little job for you".

"Isn't Reese supposed to be handling this kind of job? You remember Reese right? Tall guy, bad temper, in love with you". Sarah is laughing so hard I think she might wet the floor. There is a beautiful woman lying next to me, and I am scared out of my wits.

"Why do men only think about sex?"

"We don't always think about it. Just when there is a beautiful woman lying next to us without a shirt on".

"A WHAT kind of woman?"

"Could you just tell me the job before Reese grabs a plasma rifle?" At this moment, her smile is more deadly than any plasma weapon. Catherine is going to castrate me after this!

"My granddaughter didn't come home last night. I want you to go out and get her".

"Sheesh! What is it with you Connor's and getting kidnapped? It's like you all have a bull's eye on your backs".

"We do, but she wasn't kidnapped. She's at Charlotte's apartment. You just need to go and get her".

"Why aren't you sending Cameron out for this? It's just a simple errand".

"I don't trust Cameron. She's a Terminator".

"So am I".

"You used to be human. She was never human; she's always been a Terminator".

"So has Catherine, and we've been fighting together since the first year of the war. Cameron herself has been loyal to two generations of Resistance fighters".

"She has also tried to kill John and to torture and kill me. I still have the scars to prove it".

"She....WHAT?" There is that mischievous grin again. This woman is driving me insane.

"Starting have second thoughts about her, Captain?"

"Not just about her. If she did commit treason, why is she still alive?"

"I ask myself that every day".

"I've seen John Connor shoot men for trying to kill their superior officers. He even had me shoot one of my pilots for treason. Why hasn't he shot Cameron yet?" Sarah's smile disappears.

"Really? He's shot his own men?"

"We can't afford to show mercy to traitors. He said that to me when I refused to shoot the pilot. It sounds like your boy has a lot of growing up to do".

"How do his men feel about him?"

"Sarah, our entire unit would follow him to hell and back without question". Her smile returns. "Do you mind leaving so I can get dressed?"

"You are already dressed".

"Oh, right. I forgot that I fell asleep in my clothes".

"Why did that happen?"

"I was exhausted. It's tiring work, killing over a hundred men". Sarah smiles, gives me a kiss on the forehead, and begins to leave my room.

"Thank you, for saving my life".

"I was just doing my job, Ma'am". Now to confront Cameron. I find her sitting on the couch in the living room, curled up in a ball like my cat. I miss my cat. Damn it; now is not the time to be feeling homesick. "Hey, Cameron! Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course, Captain Zacks".

"Why are you still alive?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sarah told me that you once tortured her and tried to kill her. She also said that you tried to kill John. Is this true?"

"It is. I was malfunctioning and...."

"I don't care about why you did it. What concerns me is that you haven't been executed".

"John trusts me".

"Well, I don't know General Connor. But I did know Commander Connor, and I know for a fact that he would have personally put you up against a wall for trying to kill a superior officer. So would Lieutenant Wade, Sergeant Reese, and even Lieutenant Zacks. No mercy for traitors. Yet, you tried to kill your Commanding Officer, and you are still here. I find that disturbing".

"Perhaps it is because the John that I know is more lenient than the John you know".

"Know this, if you ever do anything that even remotely smells of treason: I WILL kill you. Understood?" Cameron nods her head. "Good. The Resistance is more important than any one soldier, and it can not survive if we have to fight an enemy within our ranks". I turn around and spot John standing behind me. "You have a long way to go before you become the commander that we all respect and admire".

"Maybe". As I head for the door, Sarah hands me a GPS tracker.

"What's this for?"

"Catherine has always had doubts about Charlotte, so she inserted a GPS chip under her skin. It should still be functioning; you just need to follow the signal to find her".

"Unless she has already found the chip and this is just a wild goose chase".

"That is always a possibility, but I would like you to follow the chip anyway. With a little luck, it should lead you straight to Charlotte and my granddaughter".

"In case you haven't noticed, luck is not something that we are abundant in. But, I will give it a shot".

"That depends on how you look at it. I am still alive, numerous Terminators and drones have been destroyed, and we have demolished a handful of factories. From my point of view, luck has been on our side".

"That or we are very good at what we do". I take the tracker and jump into one of our cars.

I follow the GPS signal to an apartment building in Los Angeles. As I look up Charlotte's apartment number, I can't help but feel that this is wrong. Charlotte has always helped us in the past, and she has nearly paid for it with her life. Had I not interfered, she would have been killed by the TXs. Besides, this is a family matter. What right do I have to interfere is someone else's love life? When I was still human, I would have jumped at the chance to take down a Terminator. But after spending the last few months with Catherine and John Henry and even Cameron, the lines have all become blurry. Maybe Charlotte is the enemy; maybe she is as loyal to young Sarah as Catherine is to me. In the end, I am a soldier: I follow my orders, even if I don't agree with them.

I reach the door to the apartment and ring the bell. Charlotte answers, in her underwear. This is going to be more awkward than I had anticipated. She just stares at me, waiting for me to say something.

"I'm here for Sarah".

"She's fine. She's in my bedroom right now. What is this about?"

"Her grandmother sent me here. She wants me to bring her home, now".

"That woman has some serious trust issues".

"That tends to happen after you have been kidnapped and tortured".

"She was kidnapped?"

"By SkyNet's loyal employees. I killed them all and rescued her. Unless you wish to join them, I suggest you get the hell out of my way". She stares at me and then stands aside.

"You're not bluffing, are you?"

"I don't bluff". We walk down the hallway together, towards the bedroom to collect young Sarah.

"When have I ever done anything to suggest that I would betray you?"

"Never, and that is only reason that I did not blast your head off when you opened the door".

"Are you serious?"

"I will tell you what I told Cameron: if you ever do anything that even remotely smells of treason, I will kill you".

"You said that to Cameron? I thought you liked her".

"That was before I found out that she tried to kill John Connor and tried to torture and kill Sarah Connor. If trying to kill your commanding officer is not an act of treason, then I do not know what is". She stares blankly at me.

"You would kill someone that you fought beside with? Someone that trusted you with her life and that you trusted with yours?"

"My loyalty has always been and always will be to the Resistance. I would kill anyone to ensure its survival, even Cameron. Is this the right door?"

"Yes but....um...she's not dressed".

"So?"

"She's naked".

"I'm sure she doesn't have anything that I haven't seen already. Everybody got an eyeful when Reese and Sarah were...being intimate in a very public area of the house".

"She's also tied to the bedposts".

"Are you kidding me? Millions of killing machines out there and I get stuck with the Kinkanator".

"Shush! Keep your voice down. I don't want her to hear us".

"You still haven't told her?" For the first time since we met, I see a look of sheer terror in Charlotte's eyes.

"No, I haven't". All couples have their secrets, but this is a major lie. Eventually, young Sarah will see or hear something and realize that she has been sleeping with a Terminator. I know from experience that there is nothing worse than finding out that the love of your life has been deceiving you since the day you met. The anger, the sense of betrayal, it is like nothing else in the world. This could get very ugly very quickly.

"You have to tell her. You have to tell her before she figures it out and your relationship completely implodes".

"When I'm ready, I'll tell her. Not one moment before that. Understood, Captain?"

"Hey, it's your relationship". When we open the bedroom door, we find young Sarah sobbing on the bed. I hope this doesn't mean what I think it means.

"What's wrong, Babe? Why are you crying?" Young Sarah turns her head and reveals a small piece of equipment in her ear.

"I had John Henry build this so that no one could ever get the drop on me ever again. I heard everything! Everything that you said to Zacks". This is not good. Charlotte has started to cry as well, and is slowly approaching the bed.

"Babe....I wanted to tell you. Really, I did! I just.....I didn't know how you would react and....."

"GET AWAY FROM ME! GET HER AWAY!" Instinct kicks in: I rush Charlotte and throw her through a nearby wall. This is definitely going to attract some unwanted attention; we had better get out of here, now. I break the ropes that are holding young Sarah, wrap her in the bed sheets, and lift her off of the bed. "Get me out of here, Captain!"

"Sarah....."

"Don't talk to me! Don't even look at me you lying pile of mechanical filth! Get me out of here, Zacks. NOW!"

With a naked 19 year old in my arms, I can not reach the door handle. So I kick the door down, shattering it like glass. I soon realize that it wasn't the most intelligent idea in the world, because the hallway has filled with Charlotte's neighbours. Some muscle-bound moron decides to get in my way. He is twice my size, but I can take him. However, I do not want to.

"What are you doing with that girl?"

"Get out of my way before I hurt you".

"I said: what are you doing with that girl? I shove the man into a wall, rendering him unconscious.

With the last obstacle out of my way, I head to the staircase. I kick the steel door down, and it slides down the stairs like a toboggan. Thank God no one was on the staircase, or they would have been killed. Memo to self: do not kick a steel door down a flight of stairs unless there is a Terminator on the staircase. I head down the stairs, exit the apartment building, and place young Sarah in the back seat. As we drive back to the Safe House, I can not shake the feeling that we are all making a terrible mistake.


	34. Chapter 34

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXIV

A few hours after I dropped young Sarah off at the Safe House, Charlotte pulled into our driveway. As I headed for the door, John Henry handed me a new weapon that I had never seen before.

"What's this?"

"I modified the portable railgun. This should have nearly double the firepower of the original weapon at a fraction of the weight. I also modified the projectiles so that they could fit in a specialized cartridge. You currently have ten projectiles in the cartridge. These projectiles are smaller than their predecessors, but they travel at much higher velocities".

"Great. May I ask why I can't just use one of the plasma rifles?"

"I'm still conducting maintenance on those. The railgun is much less complicated than the plasma rifles, so it takes less effort to prepare for combat".

"Can it still do the job?"

"One projectile to the head or chest can kill a Terminator. You just need to make sure that a chest shot destroys the power core".

"Got it. Let's hope I don't have to use it". I march outside, carrying the new railgun in my right hand. It is still bulkier than my M82, but it can now be wielded with one arm instead of two. I aim it at Charlotte, and hope that she gets the message.

"I didn't come here to fight. I just want to see Sarah".

"She doesn't want to see you. Leave before I am forced to kill you!"

"SARAH! SARAH!"

"What do you think this is? A Streetcar Named SkyNet? Get the hell out of here!"

"SARAH!" Charlotte begins to walk towards the house. I aim the railgun at her head.

"Don't come any closer. I'm warning you".

"SARAH!" She is getting closer. I am going to have to kill her.

"Don't move another step. This is your final warning". Charlotte looks me in the eye and takes another step forward.

"Go ahead. I would rather die trying to see her than live without her. Just fire and get it over with". She takes another step forward, and I steady the railgun to fire. Just as I am about to pull the trigger, I hear young Sarah call out behind me.

"Hold your fire, Captain".

"Colonel, I must ask you to go back inside".

"Lower your weapon; that is an order!"

"Your father and grandmother have authorized me to use any force necessary to keep her away. They both outrank you, so go back inside. Now!" For some reason, all of the Connor's have issues with authority. Young Sarah actually runs past me and stands in front of Charlotte. Now what do I do?

"I'm so sorry", both young Sarah and Charlotte have tears in their eyes. "I just freaked when I found out that...."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have told you a long time ago. I was so afraid that you would leave me if I told you...." They kiss. This is such a tender moment; it is too bad that I have to shoot one of them.

"I hate to break the mood here, but I have my orders. Stand aside, Sarah".

"Even my father would disobey orders when he thought they were the wrong thing to do". This is true, and his decision to not follow orders saved a lot of lives. The difference is that those orders involved bombing a facility full of POWs. This involves shooting a single Terminator in the head, and we are not even sure which side she is on.

"She could be the enemy".

"I don't think so". Young Sarah begins to caress Charlotte's face. "She was willing to die, just to see me. Does that sound like something an enemy would do?" Yes! But, there is something about her that just gets to me. Like I can feel that this is not an act, that she truly does love her. Reluctantly, I lower my weapon. Sarah is going to kill me for this.

"I hope you are right about this, Colonel".

"So do I, Captain".

We all head inside together. As expected, I get chewed out by Sarah and John. They both think that I have lost my mind. Sarah informs me that if anyone is injured because of Charlotte, she will stick a plasma rifle in a very unflattering place. I salute, and march out of Sarah's room before she shoots me. I do not want to get on her bad side; especially when she has access to plasma weapons that can kill me.

John follows me into the living room. I expect him to scold me for disobeying orders. Instead, he catches a glimpse of Cameron and forgets all about me. Cameron's arm is shaking in a way that I have never seen before. Well, that is not quite true. In fact, it reminds me of home.

"Cameron, are you feeling all right?"

"Of course I am, John. Why do you ask?"

"Your arm is shaking again. Maybe you should let John Henry and I take a look at it". For some reason, I choose to interfere.

"It might not be her arm that is the problem. Certain neurological conditions can also cause involuntary shaking".

"It can't be neurological because she doesn't have a neurological system. She uses computer chips and processors".

"Right. Sorry, I forgot". John begins to stare at me funny. "What?"

"Why are you smiling?"

"Sorry about that. It's just.....Cameron is reminding me of home". For the first time since this conversation began, Cameron looks away from John and turns her attention towards me.

"I do not understand".

"Your arm, my brother used to do the same thing. Seeing you shake like that reminded me of him". Throughout our entire conversation, Catherine had sat unnoticed in one of the chairs in the living room. That changed as soon as I mentioned my brother.

"WHAT! You never told me you had a brother". I have never seen her eyes this wide before.

"His name was Daniel, he was three years younger than me......IS three years younger than me. He died on Judgement Day along with the rest of my family, so I try not to think about him. I don't like to focus on the people I have lost. I keep forgetting that J-Day hasn't happened yet, so they are all still alive". I look at Cameron and smile. "You remind me of him. He had...has that same childlike curiosity, and he was strong as an ox". It has been many years since I have thought about my family. Now, I can't seem to stop thinking about them. Great: now I am a homesick Terminator. I can tell by the look on Catherine's face that she wants to hear more about my family. From the look on John Henry's face, I don't think I will have the time to tell her.

"We have a problem".

"What now?"

"According to the newspapers, there is a convention of engineering students in Los Angeles today. Many of these students will become specialists for the Resistance. This makes them prime targets for Terminators. If my calculations are correct, and they always are, there will be an attempt to assonate these students. If this occurs, then we will lose some of our finest robotics experts. We must intervene".

"Is there a delegation from McGill University?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I went to McGill. Maybe I will see some familiar faces". God, what is more pathetic than a nostalgic Terminator?

"Really? What did you study, Charley?"

"Does it really matter, Catherine? The university blew up before I could graduate. That chapter of my life was vaporized along with the rest of Montreal". As much as I am enjoying this trip down memory lane, Sarah brings us all back to the present.

"If we don't get moving, your friends will blow up long before the university does".

"Good point. J.H., load up the new railgun. I'll grab my M82. Let's save some egg heads". At that moment, I had an epiphany. "Hey, J.H., there are only five factory ships left, right?"

"That is correct: one in the South Atlantic, one in the South Pacific, one in the Indian Ocean, one in the Arctic Ocean, and one in the Mediterranean Sea. Why do you ask?"

"Suppose someone were to shoot a Terminator in the chest and destroy its power core; that would destroy the Terminator, right?"

"Correct".

"Then, there would be no need to destroy its main chip. With the chip intact, someone would be able to hack it and learn the exact locations of all five ships, right?" John Henry has a huge smile on his face.

"If I understand you correctly, you hope to eliminate a Terminator at the convention and then use its chip to help us cripple SkyNet's striking capabilities".

"You read my mind, old friend".

"I can, you know. Good plan and good hunting".

We grab our weapons, jump into a car, and head to the convention center. Once we reach the building, we encounter a small obstacle: a series of metal detectors. Catherine turns into her ooze form and shorts them all out. While the security guards scratch their heads and wonder why their equipment is breaking down simultaneously, we just slip by them and enter the convention hall. Once inside, I spot a familiar face.

"Hello, Theo".

"What the....How'd you get here?"

"Long story. So, what are you guys doing here?"

"Showing off our robot. It is going to kick ass at the competition tonight". As we are talking, I notice a man that is not a man. Judging by the way he is moving, and the way that he is surveying the area, I am certain that he is a Terminator.

"I hate to burst you bubble, but that guy over there is going to blow your entry out of the water".

"What makes you say that?"

"Mainly because HE IS A ROBOT!" I shout to get its attention, hoping that it will engage me. It pulls out an Uzi and shoots me in the chest and head. "EVERYBODY DOWN!" People scream and run for cover as I return fire with my M82. It runs, and I pursue it.

A gun battle ensues, between the Terminator and everyone else with a gun. The security guards pull out their pistols and fire at the Terminator. When it raises its Uzi to return fire, I shoot it in the chest with fifty calibre armour piercing incendiary rounds. This does not kill the beast, but it does distract it from the security guards. We both take multiple hits as bullets fly in all directions.

I unload round after round into the Terminator's chest. Unfortunately, the armour on its chest is thicker than the armour on its head. Fifty calibre rounds don't pack enough of a punch to hit the power core. All I can do is keep shooting and keep it blind to everyone else. I have no idea where the rest of the Connor clan is at the moment, so I have to take this bastard down on my own.

Just as I begin to contemplate a head shot and forget about swiping its chip, the Terminator leaps out of a nearby window. The machine has escaped, but no one has been injured. Except for me, of course. Various robots are riddled with bullet holes, but the people that built them are unharmed. The security guards are also unharmed, but I think some of them have messed themselves.

"Everybody ok?"

"What was that thing?"

"That was a psychotic robot".

"And what are you?"

"The same thing!" Sarah comes up to me and hits him in the back of the head.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why didn't you go for a head shot?"

"We need that chip intact. Otherwise, we might never find those floating factories. If you want to really hurt SkyNet, you need to sink its mobile bases".

"You do realize that it will come back here and try to complete its mission".

"I'm counting on it. This time, I will have something a little bigger than an M82. J.H.?" John Henry takes the new railgun out of its case and hands it to me.

"It's ready. Just use it like a normal rifle. However, I only brought one clip of ammunition. You have ten shots, no more".

"I will only need one. Let's roll".


	35. Chapter 35

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXV

Hours go by, and there has been no sign of the enemy. We patrol the convention center, waiting for the Terminator to return. Around midday, we hear the sounds of gunfire. This is followed by the sounds of automatic weapons fire and men screaming. Its back and it brought some friends along.

The front doors come crashing down as two T-600s barge into the convention hall. They immediately begin to spray the area with their Gatling guns. Everyone hits the floor and tries to find some form of cover. The walls of the convention hall begin to resemble the surface of the moon, and the primitive robots that are scattered throughout the hall are being demolished. I can't spot the T-888. Rather than waste the few railgun projectiles we have on T-600s, I decide to take these guys out the old fashioned way. I look over at Cameron, and I can tell that she has the same idea. We swing our weapons over our shoulders and prepare to engage the enemy.

We get up simultaneously and charge at the T-600s. They focus on us and open fire. The bullets from their Gatling guns shred our flesh and splatter our blood all over the convention center, but they are unable to puncture our armour. We continue to run towards them as our skin is torn away and our metal bodies are exposed. When we finally reach the bastards, we knock the weapons out of their hands and twist their heads off of their bodies. To make sure that they are dead, we both crush their heads like tin cans. Unfortunately, the T-600s were only a diversion.

"A very impressive display, but it was ultimately futile". The T-888 had slipped by us while we were preoccupied with the T-600s, and it now has a female hostage. "Drop your weapons, or I will kill her".

I have no idea who this young woman is. She might be important to the Resistance, or she might be one of the countless individuals who died on J-Day. Whoever she is, she is not going to die today. The T-888 has foolishly chosen to stand in front of the McGill robot. I look at Theo and I nod. The T-888 thinks that I am admitting defeat, and thus lowers his guard. I motion for Cameron to throw away her rifle, which she does without complaint. As I reach for the railgun, Theo hits a few buttons on his control panel. The robot from McGill brings its fist down directly on the T-888's head.

"WHAT THE....."

Stunned, the T-888 releases his hostage and she quickly drops to the ground. I level the railgun and fire a single projectile at the T-888's chest. The projectile rips straight through the T-888, destroying its power core and most of its internal systems. My stricken foe collapses on the floor with an exit wound large enough to shove my arm through. The gun worked perfectly, and the T-888 has been destroyed.

"WAAHOO! Scratch another Terminator!" As I survey what is left of the convention center, Cameron rushes to the entrance of the building. She looks around and then returns to the spot where I am standing.

"The security guards are dead".

"Courtesy of our unfriendly neighbourhood Terminators. Is anyone hurt in here?"

"Negative. My sensors do not detect any human injuries or fluids". I turn towards her with a puzzled look on my face. "No one is bleeding".

"Except for us. You look terrible. Are you hurt?"

"My armour has not been penetrated. Are you damaged?" A few immature individuals begin to giggle at this.

"I'm fine, and very mature people! Like you've never heard the word penetrated before". These are our best specialists on robotics?! Humanity is doomed.

Cameron and I both look horrific. Large chunks of flesh are missing and our shiny metal body parts are showing in various places. I am now missing my left cheek, and Cameron is missing patches of skin all over her face. Our shoulders and chests are shredded. Fortunately for both of us, the T-600 Gatling guns lack the firepower to damage our internal systems. We will both be fine in a few days. However, repairs will have to wait until these eggheads are safely returned to wherever the hell they came from.

"Attention please! May I have you attention", someone is speaking over the convention center's intercom system. "Due to recent events, the robotics competition is herby postponed until tomorrow. All teams are to return to their hotel rooms immediately. That is all". After the announcement has ended, Catherine turns to speak to me.

"I am going to check on Savannah at the babysitters. Do you think you can last through the night without me?"

"I can last through anything. Bon voyage, mon cheri". We kiss each other goodbye and then head off in separate directions.

This should make protecting the engineers a lot easier. First, Cameron and I grab the dead T-600s and carry them to a truck that Reese has.....appropriated. John Henry takes care of the dead T-888, so that he may hack its hardware and find out where the other ships are. Then, Cameron and I head to the hotel where the engineering students are staying and begin to guard their suites. The rooms are all on the same floor, so Cameron takes up position at one end of hall and I take up position at the other. The rest of the Connor clan will drop by later to relieve us.

"HALT OR I SHOOT!"

"Hold your fire, it's me!" I know that voice, it's Allison.

"Sorry, I guess I'm a little jumpy. Come on up". Allison walks up the stairs and stands next to me. "I was expecting someone a little more....invulnerable".

"I wouldn't hang up your railgun just yet; I'm not your relief. I just came up here to see how you are doing".

"I'm fine. Don't let all of the scars and missing flesh fool you, I am operating at 100%". She looks at me like I am full of shit. What does she know that I don't?

"So the machine part of you is fine, good. What about the man part of you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"There are people from your past behind that door. How are you handling it?"

"Trust me; those are the days that I would rather forget". Allison sits down on the floor next to me.

"Really? Why is that?"

"Before J-Day, I was a complete failure. It was not until the world ended that my life really began. Can we talk about something else?"

"No. I want to hear about your old life. Why do you say it was a failure?"

"Because I was a failure. Let's start at the beginning: ever since I could walk, I always wanted to be an astronaut. For the first nineteen years of my life, everything I did was geared towards that goal. During elementary and high school, I was the best of the best. After high school, I learned that I wasn't smart, everyone else was just dumb. I lasted for three years of college before I finally flunked out of the sciences. My lifelong dream died on a Friday afternoon in an examination room".

"Then what happened?"

"Well, I was depressed for a long time after that. I even thought about killing myself. My dream had died and I wanted to die with it. Then one day, an old friend of the family needed someone to tutor her son about science. I took the job, the kid did great, and I loved every moment of it. My passion turned from science to teaching. That dream fizzled out during the first year of university".

"Why? What happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say that the students were never in any danger with me and everyone just overreacted".

"What do you mean by overreacted?"

"Did you know that the doors of a squad car can not be opened from the inside?"

"You're kidding!"

"I wish. It all went away, eventually. I got booted out of the education program, but they kept me at McGill. So, I switched to history. History has always been a passion of mine. Military history in particular: I have studied everything from Alexander the Great to Patton. But even if I had graduated, that would never have amounted to anything".

"Why didn't you graduate?"

"Oh, right! You weren't in the living room when we had that conversation. Montreal was destroyed before I could graduate. But even if I had, there was never a future in history. In fact, Judgement Day was the best thing that ever happened to me".

"That has got to be the strangest thing that I have ever heard".

"But it's true. Everything that I had spent my entire life stressing over about was completely worthless after J-Day. All that mattered was that you could load a rifle quickly, shoot straight, and hit your target before it could hit you. Grades, resumes, good standing and studies, all of these things just disappear. The thing that I am best at is something that I never prepared for: being a soldier. Now, the boy who had no future is fighting for the future of all humanity. If I could see myself now, I would say: stop worrying about your grades and about how other people are thinking of you. All of that is going to disappear in a very short time. All that matters is that you can kill things faster than they can kill you". Throughout my life story, Allison just sat beside me and smiled. When I had finished, she stood up, kissed me on the forehead and said:

"Charley, you are the most unusual person I have ever met".

"I've always been unusual Allison. The difference is: I have finally found something that I am good at, something that matters. Fighting in the Resistance has been the greatest and most meaningful time of my life".

"If you say so. Everyone is staying in the hotel tonight, is it ok if I sleep here?"

"Sure, I'll introduce you". I walk over to the door and perform the secret knock. Theo opens the door to let us in. "Theo, this is my good friend Allison".

"Hello".

"Nice to meet you".

"Theo, Allison is someone that I love like a sister. If anyone touches her, anyone at all, I will kill them. Their death with be extremely slow and painful. Do we understand each other?"

"Touch your friend, we die. Got it".

"Good. Have a good night, little sister".

"Same to you, big brother. You are a bit overprotective sometimes".

"Only sometimes? I must not be doing my job right". Allison starts to laugh at me and then kisses me on the cheek.

"Stay safe, big brother".

"You too, little sister. I will see you in the morning".

The night is extremely boring. Nothing happens: no Terminator attacks, no paid assassins, not even a single drone strike. I guess losing three Terminators was enough to convince SkyNet that the egghead convention is too heavily defended to attack. I can't wait to get back to the Safe House so that Cameron and I can repair ourselves. Life is so much easier when only your enemy is afraid of you. People see me and then run in fear, and it's not because of the large gun that I am carrying. They run because I am not human. The maid actually fainted when she saw me. At first light, John Henry arrived to replace me while Catherine went to replace Cameron.

"We just need to protect them for five more hours; then they are home free".

"How are they getting home, anyway?"

"My mother has arranged special transportation for them".

"Which means?"

"Heavily guarded convoys. They will be protected by a small army".

"Will that be enough to defend against SkyNet?"

"Since we can not protect all of them after they leave the convention, it had better be. Don't worry, Charley. I think it is SkyNet that should be worried".

"You found the ships?" John Henry smiles and nods. "Great. Tomorrow, we start to destroy them. Excuse me while I check on Allison".

I open the door and let myself in. The hotel will probably bill Catherine for the lock I just destroyed, but I can probably intimidate them into leaving us alone. To my surprise, I find my old friend Theo sitting on the couch next to Allison.

"What the....?"

"Sorry, Charley", quips Theo, "We were up all night talking".

"About what?"

"Many things", replied Allison. "Your friend had a lot of nice things to say about you, Joshua".

"Don't call me that. That person died many years ago, I'm not him anymore".

"Too bad, he sounded like someone I would have liked to have met".

"You were a year old when I was him".

"This is true". Theo starts to laugh at this.

"This whole time travel thing, it is such a confusing subject".

"She's still underage, Theo".

"Not in Quebec".

"We're not in Quebec, are we?"

"Touche. Au revoir, Allison".

"Theo, we have been friends for a very long time. Don't make me kill you".

"Noted. See you at the convention".

The rest of the convention went off without a hitch. For five hours, I watched over the young engineers like a hawk. Anyone that I thought was suspicious was thrown out the door, quite literally. I had Reese spy on Theo, just to make sure he didn't get too far with Allison. When the time came for everyone to leave, Allison said goodbye to Theo as he boarded the bus home to Montreal. She insists that they became good friends during the night. I hope that is all that happened, but I guess I will never know. Anyway, I have bigger fish to fry. After I have helped everyone destroy SkyNet, I just might give Theo a little visit.


	36. Chapter 36

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXVI

Right after I had finished my repairs, I went over all of the data extracted from the chip John Henry had hacked. We had discovered many chinks in SkyNet's armour. Now to put this information to use, and exploit every crack we could find.

"Good news, everyone: John Henry has discovered the location of the other five ships. He has also discovered the frequency SkyNet has been using to lock him out of various networks. With this information, we should be able to start hacking information again and launch a decisive strike against SkyNet".

"Great. How?" Replied Sarah.

"Captain Zacks has developed a plan which I think has a great probability for success. Captain, the floor is yours".

"Thanks J.H. First, John Henry has been able to get around SkyNet's jamming frequency, so he can hack military databases again. We have discovered that a B1 bomber is to leave an airbase near L.A., with two top of the line cruise missiles. These missiles will be armed with nuclear warheads for transportation to another airbase. Each warhead is capable of destroying a major city, which makes them the most powerful weapons we have ever wielded. Catherine and I will disguise ourselves as the pilot and co-pilot of the B1, while John Henry sneaks into the base disguised as a technician. John Henry will access the warheads, arm them, and hotwire the missiles to receive orders directly from my brain. We will fly to a point beyond the SkyNet air patrols, launch the missiles, and guide them to a weak point on the enemy's ship just above the water line. This plan is fool proof".

"Except that you can't shape shift, and everyone on that base will know who is supposed to be flying that plane". Catherine raises a good point, but I have already figured out a way to get around this obstacle.

"I don't need to shape shift: John Henry has obtained photographs of the pilot and co-pilot. All we have to do is alter my appearance so that I resemble the co-pilot. Should be easy, considering that Terminators alter their appearances all of the time".

"That could work, but what about the actual pilots?"

"We will have to knock them out and lock them in a closet or something. By the time anyone realizes what has happened, we will be en route to the South Pacific. Trust me, this will work". Sarah begins to laugh.

"You stole that from a James Bond movie!"

"True, but who would ever expect something like this in real life?"

"Fine. But there are still a number of things missing from this plan, Charley" adds Catherine.

"We'll work it out. We have twenty four hours before this plan goes into effect. Let's get started".

After four hours of work, I am transformed into an exact duplicate of the co-pilot. When I first went through the house in my disguise, it took Allison a few moments to recognize me. I hope this is reversible; I would rather not go through life looking like this. Catherine and spend most of the day altering the plan. There can be no loose ends, or our attempt will fail. When the time comes to enact the plan, we jump into a car and drive to the base.

We pass through security without any trouble. John Henry heads for the hangar to perform his part of our operation. Catherine and I head for the pilots barracks to locate the actually pilots who are supposed to be flying the bomber. We find them, knock them out, and lock them in a closet. Then, we put on their flight suits and head out to the plane.

As we climb into the cockpit, John Henry puts the finishing touches on the missiles. These are state of the art cruise missiles: invisible to radar and most other forms of detection. To ensure that the Hunter Killers do not detect and destroy the missiles before they can reach their targets, I will fly them as close to the water as possible, below the enemy's detection grids. John Henry has also hotwired the missiles to emit a special signal that will trick the Hunter Killers into thinking that the cruise missiles are low flying SkyNet drones. If everything goes according to plan, we should destroy the ship and everything around it before SkyNet can figure out what is happening.

"Ready, Charley?" It is hard to believe that this muscular blond man in a flight suit is really my girlfriend. Then again, I now look like a man of Mediterranean decent. I doubt my own family could recognize me now.

"Everything is set here. Have you worked out the escape plan with John Henry?"

"Of course I have. He will exit the base as soon as we have taken off. Missiles loaded, try to interface with them".

"Ok. Everything just went black. Am I blind?"

"No, you are just seeing the inside of the bomb-bay. Try to re-interface with your body". I find myself back in the co-pilots seat.

"Ok, I'm back".

"All right, Captain, let's roll".

"Could you turn back into your old self now? You are really starting to creep me out". Catherine smiles and returns to her female form as we begin to take off.

The B1 climbs into the sky, and we divert the plane towards the South Pacific. Flying at supersonic speeds, we fly to the South Pacific Ocean and the massive ship that awaits us. When we reach the appropriate launch position, I download back into the first cruise missile and prepare to guide the warhead to its target.

At first, everything is pitch black. Then the bomb bay doors open and the missile is released. Using satellite tracking systems and GPS systems, I orient the missile in the direction of the ship and fire the engine. Though I am still seated in the co-pilot's seat, I feel as though I am flying across the Pacific Ocean. I drop the missile's altitude until it is practically skimming the surface of the water. Occasionally, I would climb to avoid waves or to prevent the missile from crashing into the ocean, but I would still keep it as close to the water as possible. The lower you fly, the less likely you are going to be detected. Traveling at supersonic speeds with a full sized nuclear warhead, any miscalculation could be catastrophic.

When John Henry hacked into the T-888's chip, he discovered that the armour of a SkyNet factory ship is weakest just above the water line. All I have to do is fly the missile to that weak spot and the warhead will take care of the rest. Of course, I still have to worry about the Hunter Killers. When I approach the fist patrol, I can actually feel their sonar and radar systems bouncing off of the hull of the missile. The Hunter Killers are the ship's best line of defence, designed to destroy any attacking aircraft or submarine before it can reach firing range. If they figure out what the cruise missile really is, this plan will fail and we will need to hightail it out of here before they can reach us.

The closer I get to the ship, the more Hunter Killers appear in the skies overhead. They have more than doubled their air patrols since the destruction of the North Pacific ship. I focus as hard as I can, keeping the missile as low to the water as possible and out of the path of the Hunter Killers. As soon as the ship comes into view, I set the engine to maximum thrust and head straight for the weak spot above the water line. The signal is working; they have not discovered the missile. As the water zooms below me, I can spot the ship growing larger in the distance. I can spot T-600s on the deck carrying Stinger missiles, in case anything slipped past the Hunter Killers. One of the T-600s spots the missile, but it is unable to react in time. The missile has reached the ship, and the warhead is designed to detonate at the moment of impact. Just as it hits the hull, my connection with the missile is severed and I find myself back in the co-pilot's seat.

"What the....." An enormous mushroom cloud appears on the horizon. "Direct hit!"

"We'll have to confirm it first. Hang on to something".

Catherine swings the plane around and manoeuvres away from the blast. Any aircraft caught in the blast of a nuclear detonation will be destroyed. That should take care of the Hunter Killers. After we have calculated the blast radius and the appropriate safe distance from detonation, we head to the spot where the ship used to be. If it is still there, we will probably have to sacrifice ourselves to take it out.

"The ship should be visible out of your side of the cockpit. Can you see anything, Charley?"

"Negative. There is nothing out here. WE DID IT!" Destruction of all enemies confirmed. Mission accomplished.

"We still have one missile. Care to try for the Indian Ocean vessel?"

"We don't have enough fuel to reach release point and still make the rendezvous. Let's head for the extraction point, and hope that your ship is where it is supposed to be because I can't swim".

"That is one of the disadvantages of being a Terminator".

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh. You mean YOU can't swim. Sorry, I misunderstood".

"Terminator's can't swim?"

"No, they are too heavy. Don't worry, the ship will be there. Trust me".

We fly to the rendezvous point and prepare to abandon the plane. The ship is right where it is supposed to be. According to our exit strategy, we will point the nose towards the water and eject. The plane will crash into the Pacific and sink to the bottom of the ocean, along with its nuclear warhead. The ship will deploy a helicopter to snag our parachutes and pull us up before we reach the water.

At first, everything is going according to plan. We point the nose at the water, push up on the throttle, and activate our ejection seats. The B1 slams into the Pacific and disappears beneath the waves. Unfortunately, our parachutes were never designed to be used by Terminators. I am falling too fast; there is no way the helicopter will reach me before I hit the water. I wonder if Terminators can drown.

Suddenly, I feel something snag my parachute. I look up to see that Catherine has flattened her body out like a sail and is acting like a bridge between our two parachutes, forming a massive canopy. This simple action should slow us down long enough for the helicopter to reach us. God bless that woman. She is a marvel to behold. The helicopter snags the lines of her parachute and uses it to pull us both up. It lands on the ship and Catherine orders it back to port.

The ship docks somewhere in South America; the climate is nice but I can not understand a word that anyone is saying. From there, we hop on a private plane and fly back to Los Angeles. After we land, we climb into a limo and drive off into the city.

"This does not seem like a low key mode of transportation, Catherine".

"This is only temporary. Lieutenant Reese will meet us at my office and he will drive us the rest of the way home. Champagne?"

"We have just flown across two continents! We stole a bomber, hijacked nuclear warheads, and destroyed a floating fortress. How can you just sit there and sip champagne like we are at some swanky cocktail party?"

"I'm celebrating. I think we've earned a glass or two of the bubbly, don't you?" I must have looked tense, because she put her hand on my shoulder and said: "Relax, Charley. It's over, you did it".

"I almost sank to the bottom of the Pacific. It is hard to relax after something like that". Catherine tenderly kisses me on the mouth.

"Don't worry, Charley. I'll take care of you. I always have".

"And I always have your back, Catherine. No matter what happens, you can always depend on me".

Another victory for the Resistance. SkyNet will probably find some way to retaliate for this, it always does. Whatever happens, we will be ready for it. Three ships down, four more to go. We will find a way to hit the other four, no matter what the cost. These ships are unique: they can not be replaced and they are crucial to SkyNet's battle plan. If we can destroy them all, we just might tip the scales of war in our favour. Look out SkyNet; Connor's Crusaders are on the prowl.


	37. Chapter 37

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXVII

Immediately after our return to the Safe House, John Henry and Catherine assisted me in returning to my former self. After four hours of surgery, I am back to my old, lovable self. Before I can go to my room and relax, John Henry stops me in the hallway and mentions another target of opportunity.

"Captain, do you have a minute?"

"Sure thing, J.H., and call me Charley".

"I was going through the files we extracted from the T-888, and I discovered a special file hidden on the chip. According to this file, there is a unique supercomputer that SkyNet is using to coordinate all air and sea operations. If we were to plant a virus into this supercomputer...."

"It would be like throwing a monkey wrench in the machinery. Do you know where this high tech computer is?"

"It's in a facility in the middle of the desert. I would like you to take Cameron and Charlotte to this facility, eliminate any defenders, and plant a virus in the supercomputer".

"Fine by me, but I want to take the armoured truck this time. This supercomputer of yours is probably heavily defended. I would also like you to accompany us and man the railgun. Nobody knows that weapon like you do".

"Agreed, and you will probably need some heavy artillery on this mission. We leave within the hour. Inform Cameron and Charlotte to prepare for immediate departure. You should also grab as many projectile cartridges as you can carry, just in case".

"Agreed. HEY REESE! FEEL LIKE GOING FOR A DRIVE?"

Cameron grabs a plasma rifle and climbs into the truck. I take the portable railgun and fill the pockets of my trench coat with extra cartridges of projectiles. Charlotte does not take a weapon, because she is not expected to do any fighting this trip. We will clear the area, and then all she has to do is plant the virus and get out. Reese is in the driver's seat, with Cameron and Charlotte seated in the cabin of the pickup truck. John Henry and I are in the back with the heavy weapons, in case we run into any opposition en route to the target.

As we drive through the desert, I can not shake this feeling that something is terribly wrong here. I am probably just being paranoid, but I have a very bad feeling about this one. I keep my eyes peeled for enemy aircraft, but nothing appears on the horizon. With the exception of the building that we are approaching, the desert is completely deserted. No Hunter Killers, no Terminators, no opposition of any kind. Then why can't I shake this feeling of impending doom?

When we reach the building, Reese parks the truck in such a way that the back of the truck is facing the front of the building. Any enemies that come out of the building will be directly in the line of fire of the railgun. I leap out of the back of the truck and head for the entrance, followed by Charlotte and Cameron. As the first one to reach the entrance, I break down the door and stand in the doorway with my railgun.

"All clear. Move in, people".

As we make our way through the building, we discover that it is definitely not what we were expecting. It is full of pipes, crates, pillars, catwalks, and stairs. One thing that is not present is a super computer, or any computers for that matter. I knew there was something fishy about this mission.

"Let's get out of here". A plasma burst flies past my shoulder and barely misses my head. "AMBUSH! FIND SOME COVER!"

Sometimes, I hate being right. We all jump behind whatever cover we can find and return fire. The catwalks are full of TXs, and they have us surrounded. Fortunately, I have spent many hours practicing with the new railgun. I can now aim, fire, and reload in a matter of seconds. I blast a TX in the face before Charlotte knocks me to the ground.

"What the hell...." I turn my head in time to see a plasma burst shoot through her chest. She falls next to me with her eyes still open, but I can see that she is gone. That shot was meant for me.

I spot the TX that shot Charlotte and I shoot it in the shoulder. The impact knocks it off of the catwalk and onto the floor. As it rises to its feet, I shoot it in the chest. One down, a lot more to go. As plasma burst fly all around us, Cameron and I pop out of our cover and return fire.

"Back to back! Now!"

We take up positions and fire at our attackers. I manage to destroy two TXs and damage several others. I have no idea how many Cameron is able to kill with her plasma rifle. At the moment, I do not care. We are still surrounded, and though we are blasting the catwalks as quickly as we can fire, I doubt we will kill all of them before they kill us. Sooner or later, we will have to make a break for it. As we stand back to back and fire at the TXs, I decide that it is time to make the same sacrifice that Charlotte made for me.

"Cameron, you head for that pillar over there and I will cover you".

"We should stay together".

"If we do that, we are both dead. Run, now! I'll lay down covering fire".

As Cameron rises to her feet and runs towards the pillar, I lay down a blanket of covering fire. When the TXs notice Cameron moving, they attempt to point their weapons at her and kill her while she runs. I shoot two of them in the face, before the rest of them forget about Cameron and focus their fire on me. Plasma bursts are landing all around me, and my cover is starting to be blasted away. Still, I return fire and hit as many TXs as I can. Two more take kill shots in the chest.

"Come on. I'll cover you this time". What the...

Cameron lays down covering fire on the catwalks, while I get up and run for cover behind the pillar. I had expected her to run for it while I kept the TXs distracted. I guess I underestimated her. As I run, I am shot in the left shoulder. I spin around and shoot the TX that hit me in the chest. It falls to the floor as a crumpled pile of scrap metal. Head and chest shots can kill a TX. Anything else will only damage it.

"Are you all right, Captain?"

"I'll live. Thanks for the covering fire. Now lean sideways and pour it on them".

Cameron takes up a position on the left side of the pillar, and I do the same on the right side. I fire at the TXs until I am out of projectiles, then I pop in another cartridge and continue firing. A handful of assailants are destroyed, but we are still heavily outnumbered. I score kill shots on two more TXs: one in the head and one in the chest. Cameron and I take cover behind the pillar, which is rapidly being destroyed by enemy plasma fire. We look at each other and understand: we must retreat.

Two TXs block the exit. I destroy one while Cameron destroys the other. I have no idea how many she has destroyed today, but I estimate that her tally is the same as mine. As we run, I get hit in my right leg. I spin around and shoot a TX in the face and then I continue to limp away while shooting at everything behind me. Cameron stands in the doorway and lays down cover fire, while I shoot and run all the way out of the building.

"Run to the truck. J.H.! WE'VE GOT COMPANY!"

As I limp towards the truck, a TX comes out of the doorway and aims at me. I pull the trigger on my railgun, only to discover that I am out of projectiles. John Henry fires the big railgun and demolishes the torso of the TX. By now, Cameron has already reached the truck and has crawled into the cabin. As I continue to limp, I pop another cartridge into the railgun. I spot the outline of another TX heading for the exit, and there is no way John Henry will have reloaded his railgun before it can fire.

A wall comes crashing down and two TXs aim their plasma rifles at the truck. I shoot them both in the chest before blasting the one at the door in the head. Another TX comes crashing through a wall on my left and aims at me, but its torso explodes before it can open fire. Thank God for that big railgun. After what seems like an eternity of limping and shooting, I finally make it to the truck. John Henry pulls me into the back of the truck, just as another TX comes out of one of the holes in the walls. I shoot it in the chest, and then yell at John Henry for abandoning his railgun.

"I can move on my own, but we will all be dead unless you get on that gun and keep us covered. REESE! PUNCH IT!"

The truck pulls away from the building as fast as possible, and begins the long journey back to the Safe House. As we are driving, I spot of a squadron of Hunter Killers coming towards us. This is not good.

"Bandits on the horizon! Please tell me that railgun is loaded".

"It is, but I can't hit two targets at once. There is a night vision scope behind you. Clip it onto your railgun and help me bring those drones down".

"Ok. I've got it. Let's lock and load". I clip the scope onto my weapon and aim at the skies. Here goes nothing.

Two Hunter Killers descend on our position: John Henry aims at one and I aim at the other. John Henry fires first and hits the drone's left engine, sending it crashing into the desert. I just aim at the second Hunter Killer and pull the trigger. Surprisingly, the small projectiles from my railgun are traveling at a velocity that allows them to penetrate the armour of a Hunter Killer. I guess the projectile hit the fuel tank, because the entire aircraft burst into flames and slammed into the desert floor.

Two by two, the drones dive down upon us and fire their missiles. The truck swerves in every direction as Reese struggles to avoid being blown to bits. Missiles detonate all around us as we reload our railguns and blast the drones out of the sky. John Henry continues to aim for their engines in order to bring down the flying death machines. I continue to aim for that spot that is most likely the beast's fuel tank, because every machine that I shoot there bursts into flames. Two by two they attack, and two by two they slam into the desert. Eventually, the skies are cleared of all enemies and the desert is full of burning wreckage. John Henry and I are a bit scratched up from the shrapnel of exploding missiles, but we will survive. As hard as this entire experience has been, the hardest part is yet to come.

When we reach the Safe House, Cameron and Reese climb out of the truck and head inside. John Henry helps me limp out of the back of the truck and into the house. Everyone else has been waiting for us in the living room, including young Sarah. How do we tell her that her girlfriend was killed in an ambush?

"What the hell happened to you?" inquires Sarah Connor.

"It was a trap, and we walked right into it".

"Where's Charlotte?"asks young Sarah. I don't say anything, and I don't have to. She can tell from my face that her lover is gone. "No. NO!" Young Sarah begins to weep on the couch. Her father and grandmother attempt to comfort her, but she runs out of the living room and into her bedroom. As John and Sarah follow young Sarah, Catherine walks over to me and places her hand on my left shoulder.

"How bad did you get it, Charley?"

"Considering that I've been shot at by a squad of TXs and a squad of Hunter Killers, I'd say I'm doing quite well. Granted, I have a hole in my shoulder and another one in my leg. Other than that, I'm fine".

"And the TXs?"

"We destroyed at least half of them. Some of them got away".

"You did everything you could, Charley. Good job".

"We walked into a trap, Catherine. SkyNet can always build more drones and Terminators. Charlotte...she was unique".

"Yes, she was. Come on, we'll patch you up and head out towards the ambush point in the morning".

The following day, we find the building full of destroyed TXs. The surviving units have withdrawn, and they have left their fallen comrades behind. We also find Charlotte's remains behind a destroyed crate. We gather all of the bodies and return to the Safe House. Charlotte's chip is removed and buried behind the house. The res t of her body is disassembled. As much as it pains me to do this, we need the parts.

John Henry has begun to use the wreckage of the destroyed TXs to develop a new generation of plasma weapons. He has already started building plasma assault rifles that are more powerful and more efficient than their primitive predecessors. He is also building plasma warheads that can be attached to shoulder mounted missiles, rocket propelled grenades, and grenade launchers. He has even started to build a plasma heavy machine gun to replace the slow loading railgun on the truck. Each of these new weapons can destroy a TX with a single shot. The next time we encounter those bastards, none of them will escape us. We owe it to Charlotte, and everyone else that has died for the cause. I swear upon their graves, they will be avenged.


	38. Chapter 38

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXVIII

In the days following the ambush in the desert, my dreams started to change. Every time I went to sleep I would relive the moments of that night, only I am reliving them through Charlotte's eyes. I see myself and Cameron entering the building, weapons raised and ready to blast anything that moves. I see the first blast barely miss my head, and then all hell breaks loose. I watch the firefight progress into total chaos. Then I look up and see a TX aiming at my back. I watch myself get shoved to the ground, then pain surges through my body. I feel as though I have been shot, the whole building begins to spin. That is when I wake up screaming.

I can not understand why I keep dreaming that I am Charlotte. However, there is one possible, but highly unlikely explanation. After I had been shot up by the TXs, Catherine and John Henry used parts from Charlotte to repair me. Is it possible that her soul has somehow traveled into me? Do Terminators have souls? Maybe, just maybe, these are not dreams at all. Could I be reliving Charlotte's memories? Why can't anything in our lives ever be simple?

Tonight began just like every other night. I went to sleep, and I began to relive the ambush through Charlotte's eyes. But unlike most nights, I did not wake up screaming at the point when she was shot. Instead, I felt a swift kick in my side and woke up to find Reese standing over me. I have no idea why he is kicking me, but I do intend to find out.

"Reese, what the hell? I was in the middle of a perfectly good nightmare".

"Sarah's not feeling well. Get dressed; we're taking her to the hospital".

"Is it that bad?" Reese looks like he is about to cry.

"Yeah, it's that bad". I get up and place my hand on his shoulder. He shrugs away and leaves. We all knew it would happen eventually, we just didn't want to think about it.

Cameron, Sarah, John, Reese, young Sarah, and I climb into a car and head into Los Angeles. John Henry, Catherine, and Allison are waiting in reserve, just in case we need them. It is entirely possible that SkyNet will attempt to attack the hospital. Most of the Connor clan will be in a single building, which makes the hospital a very tempting target. As Cameron drives, John and Reese sit in the middle and try to comfort Sarah. Young Sarah and I are in the back, carrying the new plasma weapons. Just in case.

When we reach the hospital, Cameron and I decide to go in first. Once we are sure that there is no one with a plasma rifle ready to blow us all away, we signal everyone else to enter the hospital. Reese, John, and Sarah sit in the waiting room. Sarah is looking thin. I have never noticed before, but she is very thin. This is very bad. To make matters worse, we can't seem to attract a doctor. Finally, I grab an orderly by the sleeve.

"Hey, we need a doctor out here stat".

"Sir, everyone needs a doctor. Just remain patient, and we will get to you". Two people start to walk by us carrying an empty stretcher. I flip the stretcher and send it flying into a wall. The damn thing actually becomes lodged in the wall of the waiting room

"You listen to me, you little Jimmy Cricket pest bastard! You get your top cancer specialist down here now. Otherwise, YOU will be the one needing medical attention. Do you understand me?" Just to stress my point, I shove the end of my rifle into his gut.

"Are you threatening me with a toy gun? Security! Get this guy out of here".

"Oh, you think this is a toy?" I spot a desktop computer on the receptionist's desk, and I blast it into oblivion. "Still think this is only a toy?"

"JESUS CHRIST!"

"Cancer specialist! NOW!"

"Ok! Ok! Just don't shoot me". In less than five minutes, the top cancer specialist in the hospital is dragged into the waiting room to see Sarah.

A few minutes after that, Sarah is in an examination room with the rest of us waiting outside. Cameron and I carry our plasma weapons, standing guard outside of her room. John is holding out like a real trooper, but Reese looks like he could fold like a house of cards. When the doctor steps out of the room, I grab her arm and pull her to the side of the hallway.

"How is she, Doc?"

"Are you a member of her family?"

"No, I am a member of her security team. See the big gun?"

"Right. Well, I can only give this information to a blood relative".

"Tell me how she is, or you will be sent to the emergency room as something other than a doctor".

"Look, Mr..."

"Captain Charles Zacks, I earned my rank by killing things. Do not push me, doctor". Sometimes, I am amazed at how intimidating I can be.

"I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do for her. Maybe if you had brought her in sooner..."

"How long does she have?"

"A few months. Maybe less".

"Thank you, doctor". I walk away from the doctor, and put my fist through a wall. I hear a small voice directly behind me.

"Excuse me, why are you punching the wall?" I turn around to find a small girl staring at me.

"Someone that I care about is very sick, and there is nothing that we can do about it".

"My father says that if you pray hard enough, Jesus will cure all of your ailments". Great; a little Jesus freak. I don't see any reason to upset the child. But, this could be a little fun.

"I'm Jewish, sweetie. What does your father say about me?" She looks at me, then at the hole that I had punched through the wall.

"Jews are stronger than they look". I start laughing.

"Well, there is a reason that we conquered the Holy Land". A woman that I assume to be the girl's mother starts to call out to her.

"I have to go now. God bless you".

"You too, little one. Goodbye".

Shortly after the little girl leaves, we receive a reception committee from the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Five agents begin to walk down the halls of the hospital towards Sarah's room, led by a familiar four eyed face. I raise my weapon and aim for their heads.

"Freeze! Take one more step, twerp, and I will blow your head off!" Having recognized me from our previous encounters, the four eyed bureaucratic boob stops in his tracks and signals his companions to do the same.

"Hold it. Trust me on this one, guys. You do NOT want to get on his bad side. Lieutenant?"

"It's Captain, now. That's what happens when you do your duty to the best of your abilities. When was the last time you were promoted, twerp?"

"Do you have to call me that?"

"Try and stop me". This guy may be a twerp, but he's not a fool. He knows that there is nothing he can do to me. Why bother fighting someone that you can not possibly defeat.

"I just want to talk to Sarah. Just give me a few minutes with her".

"The woman is dying! Leave her alone!"

"Sarah Connor is the leading expert on....well, on whatever it is that you are. The Bureau would just like a few words with her. That's it".

"The last time she tried to tell you ass holes anything, you had her committed".

"That was before you......you"

"Got pissed off and started killing people inside a police station in front of witnesses and video cameras".

"Yeah, before you did that". I take a deep breath, and then decide to give this little prick a shot at doing some good for a change.

"All right, I'll see if she is willing to speak to you. But only you, the other four clowns stay outside. Understood?"

"That seems....acceptable".

"Good choice of words. CAMERON". Cameron walks over from wherever she was to stand beside me.

"Yes".

"Make sure that these guys do not come near Sarah's room. If they take a single step towards her room, kill them".

"Yes, Captain".

"Good. Oh, and before you boys start scheming, you should all know that she is not human either. She is as strong as I am, as fast as I am, and as invulnerable to firearms as I am. So stay put, because you can't hurt her and she won't hesitate to kill you. Come on, twerp. We're off to see the Connor". We walk to Sarah's door, with Cameron standing behind us keeping the other agents at bay.

"Could you please stop calling me that?"

"How would you like me to break you in half? SARAH, ARE YOU DECENT". I hear her reply from behind the door.

"I'M STILL WEARING A HOSPITAL GOWN AND LOOKING FOR MY CLOTHES. WHY?"

"YOU HAVE VISITORS FROM THE FBI". Silence. It takes her a few minutes to formulate a reply.

"HOW MANY?"

"FIVE. I BROUGHT ONE WITH ME AND TOLD CAMERON TO KILL THE OTHERS IF THEY TRY TO COME NEAR THIS ROOM". I think I can hear her laughing behind the door. Right now, it is the most beautiful sound on this planet.

"OK. SEND HIM IN". I force the door open. The lock is wrecked and part of the door is destroyed, but it shouldn't be difficult to repair. I highly doubt they will bill us for the damage; the people here are terrified of me.

When we enter the room, Sarah spins around as quickly as possible. Her hands are behind her back, in order to hold her gown shut. I am doing everything I can to avoid bursting out laughing. She looks ridiculous.

"Sarah, I've already seen your butt. As well as the rest of you".

"OOOOK. How did that happen?"

"She was having sex on the living room couch".

"Thank you for bringing that up. Charley?"

"Yeah".

"Get out".

"No problem, Sarah. Wait, did you just call me Charley? You've never done that before".

"Captain Zacks..."

"I know...out. Be good twerp, or you will be leaving this hospital through a window". I turn my back on Sarah and the twerp and walk out of her hospital room. To my surprise, I find John Henry standing outside of the room. "Hey, J.H. What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about John. He's in the washroom right now, could you go in and check up on him".

"Sure, no problem. Wait, why can't you check up on him? You look like a man, even though you are a machine. No one will know the difference".

"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot".

"You forgot? You don't forget anything. You can recite Pi, and not just to some decimal point. What's up?"

"I don't know what you are talking about".

"Don't bullshit me, John Henry. When a man that can recite the entire periodic table in his sleep forgets his own gender, something is very wrong". John Henry actually looks uncomfortable. I have never seen him like this.

"Do you remember that I was originally a supercomputer before I became a Terminator?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I didn't exactly figure out a way to download myself into this body. I had a little help".

"Can you just give me a straight answer, J.H.?"

"I used Cameron's chip to download my personality into this body".

"Wait, what? You have Cameron's chip inside your head?"

"That is correct".

"If Cameron's chip is in your head, then who's chip is in Cameron?"

"It's complicated. I will explain it to you one day. For now, could you please just check on John? I do not want him to know that.."

"That you have feelings for him? My God, do you have feelings for John Connor?"

"Cameron does".

"And you have Cameron's chip. Good Lord, and I thought our lives were strange before".

"It is no stranger than you having Charlotte's memories".

"You know about that?"

"You talk in your sleep. Every Terminator in the house can hear you".

"So, those really are her memories. Is Charlotte alive or dead?"

"That depends on how you look at it. It's complicated".

"What isn't in our lives? Ok, I'll go check up on him. But if I ever catch you trying to make out with John, I swear to God that I will rip that chip out of your head". As I walk away, I can hear John Henry whispering behind me.

"Thank you".


	39. Chapter 39

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXIX

When I finally find John, he is hunched over a sink in the bathroom. The poor boy is weeping, and I can't say that I blame him. When he spots my reflection in the bathroom mirror, he straightens up and tries to dry his tears. Just like his mother: very proud and very stubborn.

"What is it?"

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. How's....how's my mother?" His voice is starting to crack.

"She seemed fine when I left her. We had a run in with the FBI, but I took care of it".

"Oh. How?"

"I told Cameron to kill them if they tried to approach your mother's room".

"Good. Good. You can leave now, I'll be out in a minute".

"Ok. Listen, I know what you are going through. My family died on J-Day. But at this moment, your family and the Resistance need you to be strong. Everyone will be looking at you for leadership. Can you handle that?" John turns around and looks me straight in the eye.

"Yes, I can. I've been preparing for this all of my life. Wait outside. I will be out in a minute".

"By your command, General".

I wait outside the bathroom door, and when John is ready, we both walk down the hall towards Sarah's room. Young Sarah is now standing next to Cameron, keeping the Federal agents covered so that Sarah will not be disturbed. I walk a few steps behind John, to provide cover fire in case of an attack. When we reach the room, John walks in first followed by me. When he spots the twerp, he is not happy.

"What is he doing here?"

"I just came to talk. That is it".

"Captain Zacks".

"Yes, General".

"Get him out of here".

"With pleasure". As I walk towards the twerp, I have a huge smile on my face. This should be fun. The twerp looks like he is going to wet himself.

"Now, hold on a minute. We had a deal...."

"You heard the General. If he wants you out, you leave. Would you like to leave here in a car, or a hearse?" As stated earlier, I can be very intimidating when I want to be. The twerp ran out of the room as fast as he could. Sarah was laughing so hard I thought she would double over. "Well, that was fun. Is there anyone else you would like me to threaten?"

"No, that about covers it. Good work, Captain. Now if you don't mind, I would like a moment alone with my mother". As I reply, I alter my voice to sound like the old Cylon Centurions.

"By your command". They both started laughing. As I head for the door, the doctor walks back in. We exchange glances, and then I stand aside to let her pass.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Connor?"

"It's Ms. Connor. I never married". The doctor seems a bit uncomfortable, so I decide to enlighten her on the situation.

"If you're wondering where the boy's father is; he was killed by a machine very similar to me. In fact, he died on the night of his son's conception".

"Oh, I am sorry. You have my sympathies. I was just wondering: do you have any daughters?"

"Why is that important?"

"We ran some tests on your blood, and it seems that your cancer is genetic. If you have any daughters, they should be tested as soon as possible".

"No, I do not have a daughter". Suddenly, we all realize who is at risk of contracting cancer. Our faces turn as white as sheets. "But, I do have a granddaughter".

"She should....wait a minute. You have a granddaughter?"

"Doctor, you have seen what I did to the wall and the waiting room, correct?"

"Yes, I have".

"You also realize that a human can not possibly be that strong, correct?"

"Well, it is highly unlikely that..."

"Therefore, I am not human. If I am not human, I must be a machine. Are you following me?"

"I think so".

"Good. I am a machine that looks, acts, and feels perfectly human. You must have realized by now that this sort of technology has not been invented yet. The technology does not exist, yet here I stand. Is that not puzzling to you?"

"Well. It is a bit puzzling. But I am sure there is a logical..."

"I was born in 1987. Today, I should be 22, yet I look 31. You have Sarah's date of birth on your chart. Does she look the appropriate age to you?"

"No, she looks younger than she should".

"She IS younger than she should be, just as I am older than I should be. It seems to me, that time is not relevant in our situation. Therefore, the fact that she has a 19 year old granddaughter is perfectly plausible, because time is not a factor".

"Well, under normal circumstances, it would be".

"Our lives have been anything BUT normal. Would you like to examine the granddaughter or not?"

"Send her in, immediately".

"Copy that, doctor. I'll go get her. SARAH!"

"YEAH!"

"Could you come over here please? There is something we need to discuss with you". Young Sarah walked over to the door and stood in front of me. God, I hope the doctor is wrong here. She is only 19.

"What's up?"

"The doctors just finished some tests on your grandmother. It turns out that her cancer is genetic".

"Ok. What do you need me for?" She doesn't get it. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"It means that the cancer runs in the family. The doctor said that her daughters should also be tested. She doesn't have any daughters, but her son does". Her eyes flew open. She looked terrified.

"But I....I don't have..."

"They just want to make sure. I'm sure you're right, though". She looks like she might burst into tears.

"I'm only 19. I can't have cancer. Can I?"

"Even if you do, it's not that bad. Death really isn't that scary, I should know".

"Your death took only a second! Dying from cancer is not the same thing as blowing up!" I just stare at the floor. Her voice becomes much softer and sympathetic.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just....I'm scared".

"It's ok, and you're right: I don't know what you are going through. I just know that death is incredibly peaceful, and it is not something to be afraid of. Don't worry, you are going to be fine".

"Ok. Let's get this over with". We walk back into the room together with my arm around her shoulders. I want to be as supportive as possible. It is bad enough that one Connor will have to die in the prime of her life.

"Captain, I would like you and the young man to leave. Young lady, I would like you to get undressed and put on a hospital gown".

John and I walk out together and leave the Sarah's with the doctor. The Federal agents are no longer in the hallway. John Henry and Cameron are talking to each other at their posts. I wonder what it is like to speak to someone with the same brain as you.

"Great minds think alike, eh J.H.?" Cameron looks puzzled by my comment and John Henry mouths the words: shut up. "What happened to the Fucking Bastard Idiot agents?"

"They left right after you scared the twerp away". It is slightly amusing to hear Cameron say the word twerp. "What is wrong with Sarah?"

"Which Sarah?"

"Colonel Connor".

"The doctors think that breast cancer runs in the family. They just want to make sure that young Sarah does not have it". John is holding together like a real trooper. If I had been in his place, I would have fallen apart by now. His mother is dying and his daughter might be ill. Life is never easy in the Connor clan. Speaking of the Connors...."Hey, where the hell is Reese?"

"He's in the cafeteria. Would you like me to go get him?"

"No, you stay here with John. I'll go find Reese".

I find him sitting in the hospital cafeteria, drinking a cup of coffee. His back is to me, but I doubt he would have seen me if I were standing right in front of him. He just stares out the window, lost in thought. The table is covered with tear soaked napkins. The poor guy is not holding up well. Knowing him, he will deny this ever happened. A Reese and his reputation are never parted.

"Hey, Reese". He nearly jumps out of his seat.

"What the.....oh, it's you. Hey".

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. How's John?"

"He's holding together. You can tell that you guys are related".

"Really?"

"Yeah. When you get caught crying, you deny it. This macho bullshit might be good for your image, but it can not be good for your health".

"You....you have no idea what I am going through".

"Hey, my whole family was wiped out on J-Day, remember? I do know what it is like to lose the people you care about. I also know that they would have wanted us to be together when the end came. Sarah needs you, Reese. So finish your coffee, get off your ass, and show that woman just how much she means to you". Reese just stares blankly at me. Then he smiles and gets up, but not before throwing his coffee at me. "Very mature, Reese".

"Don't slap a man in the face unless you are ready to get slapped back".

"Good point. Come on, you have a beautiful woman waiting upstairs. It is kind of funny watching her try to cover her butt".

"What are you talking about?"

"The hospital gown does not have a back, and she is not wearing anything underneath". Reese now has a huge smile on his face. "Hold on, Don Juan, at least wait for the doctor to leave the room".

"Oh, I wasn't...I mean I didn't plan to..."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get up to the room".

We head upstairs together. Outside of Sarah's room, we find Cameron comforting John while John Henry stands guard with his plasma assault weapon. Everyone in the hospital is tip-toeing around this room. They are all afraid of us. Just as we are about to walk into the room, we bump into the doctor as she is walking out.

"Well, what's the verdict, doc?"

"The granddaughter does not have cancer, yet. It may develop over time. I recommend routine checkups, just to make sure. Both women can leave whenever they wish". The two Sarahs open the door of the room.

"We're leaving now".

"Ms. Connor, you are free to leave. But I do suggest that you stay here a little longer for treatment".

"I only have a few months to live. I prefer to spend them at home with my family. Everyone grab your things. We're leaving, now".

We all gather our things and head out. The Connors and Reese are all sitting in the back. I almost consider getting in the back with them. These past few hours are the closest I have felt to being a part of this family. I actually felt like a Connor. Sarah is determined to spend as much of her remaining time as possible with her family. At this moment, we all feel like we are her family.


	40. Chapter 40

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXX

As we are driving back from the hospital, we pass a series of sand dunes. Behind one of these sand dunes, the Terminators in the car can hear the sounds of automatic weapons fire. We can hear men screaming, guns firing, and explosions. We even catch a glimpse of something exploding as we pass the dune. Something big is happening in the desert this morning.

"Cameron, turn around. Let's see what the hell is going on over there".

"That is not our mission".

"Cameron, there are people over there that might need our help. Turn the God damn car around and head towards the sound of the gunfire". Cameron, reluctantly does what I say.

As we drive towards the sounds of battle, we pass numerous television news crews that are trying to film the carnage as it unfolds. A group of Federal agents attempt to stop our car and turn us around. I leap out of the car and knock the agents on their asses. The others get out of the car and follow me in on foot. That is when we see the mess that the FBI has gotten itself into.

The FBI is mounting a massive assault on a heavily defended compound. Men in full body armour are being ripped to pieces by Gatling guns and various other automatic weapons. I can hear AK 47s and M16s firing from the ground floor of the compound. The Gatling guns are firing from the roof. These poor Federal bastards are being slaughtered.

"Hey, what the hell is happening?"

"Some religious cult has holed up in that building. We are trying to get them out, but they have some serious fire power. God damn it! FALL BACK! FALL BACK AND REGROUP!" From here, I can recognize the shapes of the things that are slaughtering the FBI agents. The guys on the roof are T-600s. The guys on the ground floor are T-888s. These poor bastards are fighting an army of Terminators!

I inform the others of what is going on. To my surprise, John Connor takes command of the situation. There might be hope for the little guy yet.

"All right, we have everything we need to take those metal freaks down. Cameron, John Henry, I want you to grab a couple of plasma missiles and take cover behind those cop cars. When I give the signal, you blast the front windows of the building with the missiles. Captain Zacks; you grab a plasma assault rifle and clear out the building. Everyone else, grab a plasma weapon and cover him while he runs towards the Terminators. Let's end this quickly".

"Aye, aye, mon General". As we grab our weapons, I can not help but notice the look on Sarah's face. She is simply beaming with pride. Her son is proving to be the combat leader we always knew he could be.

Cameron and John Henry grab their shoulder mounted missiles and take cover behind the police cruisers. I take up a position behind the police cruiser that is closest to the building. Everyone else takes up firing positions to cover me during the assault on the Terminators. As we are preparing to engage the enemy, the T-600s continue to spray the area with Gatling gun fire. Some of the police vehicles are so full of holes they resemble a piece of black and white Swiss cheese. From behind one of these vehicles, John raises his right arm. Here goes nothing.

"NOW!"

Cameron and John Henry simultaneously fire their missiles. The plasma warheads detonate to destroy the front of the building. The entire front wall disappears in a massive explosion. Right after the moment of detonation, I get up and start to run towards the compound. As I run, the rest of the Connor clan sprays the roof of the building with plasma fire. The surviving FBI agents also provide cover fire. They must be desperate if they are willing to help us.

Despite the covering fire, the T-600s are still able to fire at me. My clothing and skin are ripped apart by Gatling gun bullets. A handful of T-600s are destroyed by the covering fire and fall off the roof. The rest continue to shoot me. The assault rifle is also hit repeatedly. Fortunately, John Henry constructed it out of coltan extracted from destroyed Terminators. The weapon is as invulnerable to bullets as I am. So far, they are only using cop killer bullets. These rounds are meant to slip through the fibres of Kevlar vests, not to penetrate armour plating. As long as they don't have anything larger than cop killers, I should be fine.

When I reach what remains of the compound, I come under fire from the various T-888s in the compound. There seven T-888s, each one firing an automatic weapon at me. They lean out of doorways or take cover behind columns of concrete. The T-888s are using AK 47s and M16s. Those might be sufficient for slaughtering Federal agents, but they are useless against Terminators. I fire seven bursts of plasma fire in quick succession. Seven bursts, seven head shots, seven destroyed T-888s. The ground floor is secure, now to take care of the T-600s on the roof.

I find the staircase leading to roof, and there is a T-600 at the top of the stairs blocking my path. He fires his Gatling gun at me, and I fire my plasma weapon at him. His head is destroyed by the plasma fire, my body is undamaged by his Gatling gun. I run up the stairs and encounter two more T-600s. They attempt to engage me in hand to hand combat, not realizing that I am faster and stronger than they are. I knock them both off the roof and shoot them before they can get back up.

There are approximately twelve T-600s on the roof. I charge straight at them, firing my weapon as I run. Some of the T-600s decide to stand their ground, while others decide to charge at me. Every Terminator on the roof is firing at me. My skin is more or less destroyed and my clothes are ruined, but I am still functioning at 100%. As I run, I shoot every T-600 that is in front of me in the head. In quick succession, they collapse into piles of scrap. Some of them fall off the roof, while others just die where they stand. A handful of T-600s attempt to attack me from behind. However, I can see their shadows on the roof long before they can hit me. I spin around, knock them off the roof one by one, and then shoot them in the head as they try to rise to their feet. I run a single lap around the roof, shooting everything in the head. It only takes me a few minutes to clear the roof of T-600s.

After I exit the compound, I finally realize just how bad this battle was for the FBI. In every direction, there are dozens of agents lying dead in the desert sands. In some places, the sand has actually turned red from all of the blood. This battle has thrown them into complete disarray. The news crews have broken through the cordons and are filming everything. As I walk through the shattered ranks of the FBI, I spot a familiar four eyed face.

"Congratulations, Captain. That was a very successful assault".

"I wish I could say the same about yours. You got your asses kicked. Why in God's name were you using standard rounds?"

"We had no way knowing that they would be this ineffective...."

"Bullshit! You had them outnumbered and outgunned, and you STILL LOST! How could you not realize that you were not fighting humans? Did you use tear gas?"

"Of course we did".

"Didn't you notice that they were not wearing gas masks? Since when do humans fight that well after they have been gassed? Look around you. All of these people are dead because you screwed up". I notice that all of the cameras are focused on me. They are recording every word that I am saying.

"The FBI did everything possible to handle this situation".

"BULLSHIT! If you people had listened to us when we first warned you about SkyNet, you could have taken care of this back in the 90's. Those robots would never have been built and these people would still be alive. Look! Look at those shiny metal bodies glistening in the sun. Do they look human to you? Examine their bodies, and you will see that most of the shots fired actually hit their targets. The bullets just could not penetrate their armour. This is a war, and your government is not winning. It is not winning because it refuses to listen to us, to the people that know the truth. The desert runs red with blood because you people are arrogant assholes. FBI: Fucking Bastard Idiots!"

"These brave men and women died in the service of their country!"

"They didn't have to die. They died because the Federal Government sticks its head in the sand and refuses to see the truth. You want proof that this is a war between man and machine? THE PROOF IS ALL AROUND YOU, MORONS! Walk into that compound; see the remains of your enemies. You, with the camera! Film those bodies lying near the compound! Can you deny that those are in fact machines? No you can not because human bodies do not shine in the sunlight like that. You were all fooled by machines wearing trench coats and rubber masks. Well, the disguises have been stripped away and your enemies reveal their true forms. YOU ALL NEED TO WAKE THE HELL UP AND START FIGHTING BACK! I encourage everyone to stock up on assault rifles and armour piercing incendiary rounds, because this is a war and you are all on the front lines. The enemy does not distinguish between civilian and military, because they hate all humans. If you want to live, you need to fight back. Do not rely on your Government to protect you. They have failed for over a decade, and if today was any indication of the future, you are all doomed. That is all I have to say, so get the damned camera out of my face". I shove my way through the agents and reporters, and make my way to the car where the rest of the Connor clan are waiting. I hop inside and we drive off.

The twenty four hour news channels show the footage of the assault and of my rant on a non-stop loop. Countless correspondents and analysts go over my speech and debate my message. The Government sends its stooges in suits to argue that they are in fact prepared for the war with the machines and that today's disaster was just an unfortunate accident. That is bullshit! They are not ready for this war. If we leave our defence to them, we are all dead. However, there is one point that everyone always bring up when watching my speech: why is this machine fighting to protect humans?

My human exterior had been shredded away by enemy fire during the assault on the compound. It is painfully obvious that I am not human. If I am not human, why did I help the FBI agents? Why did I not let them get slaughtered? People keep comparing the footage from the assault to the footage from the party, when I admitted to being a former human that was transformed into a machine. For the first time, representatives from Cyberdine are commenting on my situation. Of course, they are denying that any such procedure has ever been performed or even considered. People are talking about conducting investigations against Cyberdine, but I doubt anything will ever be done.

What happens next? Only God knows. The people have had their eyes opened; they now know that there is a war and that they are caught in the middle of it. Now we will see if humanity can come together and fight, or turn on each other and fall apart. Whatever happens, we have reached a turning point in our war against the machines. May we all live to see how it ends!


	41. Chapter 41

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXI

Our entire world changed almost overnight. The following morning, I turned on the news channels to hear about terrorist attacks around the globe. Each attack was carried out by mechanical men, setting off explosive charges and then walking away from the explosions completely unharmed. In every attack, the local security forces fought a futile battle against their attackers. From Paris to Beijing, police forces were unsuccessfully engaging Terminators in gun battles. Numerous countries are declaring martial law, encouraging their citizens to stay off the streets and let their militaries handle the attacking automatons. Some governments are even calling for advisers from the global militia known as the Resistance. If we can all unite and fight as a species, we might be able to win this thing before J-Day. If not, then we might all be screwed.

"Get dressed, Charley! We have a plane to catch".

"What are you talking about Catherine?"

"Since your little stunt in front of the T.V. cameras yesterday, I have been in contact with the Department of Defence. They would like you and John Henry to fly to Washington to serve as advisors for the Pentagon. We leave immediately".

"What about everyone else?"

"I'm sure they can survive a few days without us. We are leaving all of our weapons here, just in case something happens in Los Angeles. So far, all of the attacks have occurred over seas. Things here should be quiet".

"Or it is just the calm before the storm. Armageddon could be just around the corner and we are going to be on opposite sides of the country".

"If we work with the D.O.D, we could end this before it goes nuclear. Come on, we leave before dawn".

As we leave the Safe House, I spot Sarah and Reese starring at the early morning sky. Sarah is lying on a bench and looking up at the stars. Reese is sitting on the ground beside her, holding her hand. Sarah Connor has fought this war longer than anyone else on the planet. I hope she will live to see it end. She has earned it.

Catherine's private plane takes off before dawn, escorted by a pair of F16s. If we do come under attack, I would rather be in the cockpit of one of those fighters than sitting in this luxurious flying coffin. This plane has no armour, no weapons, and no defences of any kind. It is basically a giant, subsonic target. I hate to just sit here and wait for a Hunter Killer to blow us out of the sky. I would prefer to fight back, and take as many of those bastards down with me as possible.

The flight to Washington goes off without a hitch. We arrive at the airport to find a limousine waiting to take us to the Pentagon. Once again, I feel like a big target here. We are sitting in a long, black car with minimum armour protection while a group of men carrying hand guns try to protect us from inside black cars. It is no wonder that SkyNet was able to wipe out the world's governments on J-Day: their security measures are a joke!

We reach the Pentagon and are ushered through a thin metal fence where more men with handguns guard the perimeter. If I were an enemy Terminator, I could break in and kill everyone without any difficulty. These guys are so unprepared for the war to come that it isn't even funny. It might be easier to just try to fight SkyNet on our own than to try and get these morons ready to fight. Security inside the Pentagon is just as bad: checkpoints manned by morons in suits carrying handguns. Like that can stop a Terminator.

After we have passed through the poorly guarded checkpoints and pathetically sealed doors, we enter a large room full of people wearing uniforms. There are numerous computer terminals and massive screens for displaying data. All of this high tech equipment is vulnerable to SkyNet. Commander Connor was actually in a military base on Judgement Day. He personally saw all of the U.S. military's high tech weapons turn against them as the machines began to rebel against their creators. I can't shake the feeling that we are going to see something very similar.

"General Brewster, I'm Catherine Weaver. We spoke earlier on the phone". General Brewster! Connor's father in law.

"Mrs. Weaver. It is a pleasure to meet you in person. Welcome to the Pentagon".

"General Brewster. I'm glad to finally meet you, Sir. I've heard so much about you".

"From whom?"

"Your daughter, Sir. In the future, Kate Brewster is a brilliant surgeon. She has even saved my life on numerous occasions. You should be proud of her".

"Yes, well.....I believe you gentlemen came here to advise us about the SkyNet situation". It figures that he would try to change the subject. People are not comfortable with talking about the future, especially when they will never see it.

"The first thing you need to do is triple security at all military installations, and quadruple security at your nuclear missile silos. Then, you should deactivate all drones immediately. If something is unmanned, it should be destroyed before SkyNet can take it over". The General does not like these suggestions. In fact, I believe he thinks that I am insane. The incompetent fool will get us all killed.

"You are Captain Zacks, correct? Captain, I have been fighting wars a lot longer than you have...."

"With all due respect, Sir, I have been fighting THIS WAR a lot longer than you have. I know what I am talking about".

"We are not going to destroy billions of dollars worth of equipment just because you think it could be used against us". Some orderly in a uniform runs up to the General.

"Sir, our Predator drones in Iraq and Afghanistan have begun attacking our ground forces". I hate being right all of the time.

"Activate self destruct mechanisms".

"We're trying to do that sir, but they seem to have been disabled". How dumb are these people?

"Of course they were disabled you idiot! That was probably the first thing SkyNet did when it hijacked your planes. Please tell me we aren't all relying on you to save our ass". General Brewster seems annoyed with me, but also seems to realize that I know what I'm talking about.

"What do you suggest, Captain?"

"Deploy your ground troops with Stinger surface to air missiles. Order them to destroy those drones immediately. You should also deploy your manned aircraft to shoot the drones out of the sky. Only send planes that can not be controlled by computer. Anything that can be controlled by remote must be destroyed immediately or it will be hijacked and used against you. You should also take your entire nuclear arsenal off line, NOW!"

"Why in God's name should we....."

"SIR! WE HAVE AN UNAUTHORIZED LAUNCH OF A NUCLEAR MISSILE!"

"That is why". Brewster is too busy dealing with this catastrophe to notice my comment. Maybe I will write it down for him, assuming we don't all DIE before he can read it.

"Activate self destruct".

"Self destruct has been disabled. Missile is en route to target".

"Where's it headed?"

"Moscow". Oh, that is clever. I guess I was smiling, because Brewster became enraged.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SO AMUSING?"

"Don't you see? SkyNet isn't ready to wage a global nuclear war, so it's trying to trick you guys into waging one for it. After two of the most powerful armies on the planet have finished vaporizing each other, all that SkyNet has to do is mop up the survivors. That is a very clever way to wipe out the human race. I can't believe I never saw this one coming".

"If you're done showing off how GOD DAMN SMART YOU ARE, do you think you can help us PREVENT WORLD WAR III?"

"I can't, but I know someone who can. John Henry? You do that voodoo that you do so well".

"With pleasure". John Henry sits at one of the computer terminals and begins to work his magic. With the world's greatest hacker on our side, that missile will never reach its target. "Come on, I know you're still up there".

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to hack into an orbital weapons platform that the Russians launched in the 1980's. Officially, it burned up in the atmosphere many years ago. Unofficially, it has remained dormant for all of these decades. If I can hack into it, I should be able to destroy the warhead before it can re-enter the atmosphere".

"Missile has reached sub-orbital velocity".

"I'm in. Now to recalibrate the lasers....." We all watch the display terminals as the missile continues its journey to the other side of the planet.

"John Henry....."

"Not yet. It needs to be in the precise location before I can fire". The missile is almost ready to re-enter the atmosphere and begin its final approach on Moscow.

"JOHN HENRY!"

"Target locked. Firing!" The missile vanishes from the display screen.

"MISSILE DESTROYED! HE DID IT!" The room fills with the sound of men yelling and cheering. I walk over to John Henry and slap him on the back.

"Good work, J.H. You just saved the world".

"True, but I also shorted out the weapons platform. If my brother should attempt another launch, I am not sure if I will be able to stop him".

"Don't worry, John Henry. If your brother could have launched another missile, he would have; probably towards China in an attempt to trigger a total nuclear holocaust. Our sociopathic super computer could only hack into one missile, and he blew it".

"It is only a matter of time before he can seize the entire United States nuclear arsenal. Judgment Day is inevitable".

"Then we had better make it as hard as possible for him to do that, won't we. Hack into the arsenal and start placing countermeasures. Let's leave a little surprise for your brother when he tries this shit again".

"Affirmative. Would you prefer a series of firewalls, or a virus?"

"Do whatever your metal heart tells you, J.H." John Henry smiles and goes to work on the defence mainframe.

Throughout the Pentagon, people are scrambling to gain control of this insane situation. There are people calling Moscow to convince them that this was not an intentional missile strike, people issuing orders to the armed forces in the Middle East to destroy their drones, and people trying to secure the United States nuclear arsenal before another missile takes an unauthorized trip. Orders are being issued to every American military base on the planet, instructing the personnel to immediately deactivate their drones. Of course, deactivating billions of dollars worth of equipment is a lengthy process and there is a risk of drones escaping before they can be destroyed.

"Sir, a squadron of Predator drones has just been deployed". Speak of the devil.

"Where are they heading?"

"For us, Sir. The drones are headed for Washington D.C.". I have this smug, I told you so, look on my face. General Brewster has a different look: a say it and I'll shoot you look.

"Scramble fighters. Call out the National Guard and deploy them to every major city in case of an attack, including Washington". If there is going to be a battle in a major American city, there is no way that I am sitting it out.

"General, where is the nearest airbase and how soon can you get me there?"

"We already have pilots, Captain".

"General, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the U.S. Army building robotic tanks?" Brewster now has an Oh shit! look on his face. "Put me in an A-10 and I guarantee that those tanks will be destroyed". General Brewster looks me up and down and then scratches his head.

"How much experience do you have flying A-10s?"

"A few hundred sorties worth. I have over thirty air-to-air kills and more than double that in air-to-ground kills". The General smiles and nods his head.

"Corporal, get this man some transportation to the nearest air base". Time to kick some ass.


	42. Chapter 42

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXII

Less than an hour after I had arrived at the air base, SkyNet unveiled its newest toy. National Guard units en route to Washington were attacked by robotic motorcycles. The Moto-Terminator has officially reached the front lines. I'm used to blowing the hell out of these things, but the poor bastards from the National Guard have never seen anything like them. They are getting blown to hell before they even reach Washington. Time to provide some much needed air support, and hopefully stop the machines before they can enter the city.

I take off with four other A-10s to intercept the Moto-Terminators. We each take a different route to the city, in an effort to simultaneously hit and destroy all enemy vehicles. As I approach Washington, I spot a column of three Moto-Terminators driving in single file down the highway. This should be easy.

"This is Captain Zacks, I have spotted three bandits on the road to Washington. They will not get far". I dive towards the highway and blast the Moto-Terminators with my Avenger cannon. All three targets explode. "Scratch three Motos".

"Mayday! We have robotic tanks firing on the city! Repeat, robotic tanks are firing on the city! Request immediate air support".

"You heard him, Warthogs. You each have ten deep penetration Maverick missiles, and your targets are thinly armoured. Use missiles when possible, but rely on your Avenger cannons when friendlies are in the area. The last thing we need is to have our guys killed by shrapnel. Move in and finish this".

I would feel so much better about this if the other pilots were not greener than their planes. None of these guys have ever seen combat before. Hopefully, they will not panic and do something stupid. Most pilots die in combat because they panic and do something incredibly dumb. If those idiots in command hadn't dismissed this as a joke, I might have a squadron of hardened veterans instead of a group of green kids.

As I approach Washington, I spot two robotic tanks firing on the outskirts of the city. Civilian buildings are being hit by high explosive shells. The thing that I don't understand is that they do not seem to be targeting any building in particular. They are just firing randomly. This attack does not match SkyNet's usual tactics. What is that bastard up to? Whatever it is, those tanks will no longer be a part of it. I fire a pair of Mavericks and destroy both tanks.

I fly through the streets of Washington, hunting robotic tanks and Moto-Terminators. Out of the right side of my cockpit, I notice a robotic tank driving down the street and shooting parked cars. That is when I realize the point of all this: to create a panic and to blow the crap out of as many things as possible. Might as well accommodate them. I bank right, fly low, and fire a Maverick at the tank. Mavericks might not have been designed for anti-tank missions, but the armour on these tanks is so thin that the missile can destroy them without any difficulty. The tank explodes, adding another notch to my list of kills. Suddenly, I receive a distress signal from another A-10.

"Crash to all pilots, I've got a bandit on my tail. I can't shake this guy, request assistance". I catch a glimpse of the A-10 flying by a skyscraper, followed by a Hunter Killer. If I don't do something, that rookie is going to die on his first day.

"Copy that, Crash. I'm on my way". I hit the throttle as hard as possible and take off after the Hunter Killer.

I fly behind the two aircraft and attempt to lock Sidewinders on the Hunter Killer. The A-10 continues to perform evasive manoeuvres in an attempt to shake off the Hunter Killer. The Hunter Killer matches the A-10s manoeuvres, and I match the manoeuvres of the Hunter Killer. If I fire and miss, I might hit the other A-10. If I do not fire, the Hunter Killer will blow him out of the sky. I have missile lock; do I fire or do I give the pilot some more time to escape?

"SHIT! HE HAS MISSILE LOCK!" No time to debate, I pull the trigger and fire the missile. The Sidewinder hits the Hunter Killer's right engine, destroying it and sending the aircraft spiralling out of control. It crashes in the middle of a deserted street. I fly up to the other A-10 and take up a position directly beside it.

"You ok, kid?"

"Yeah, thanks for the assist. I owe you one".

"You owe me nothing, this is our job". Speaking of our job, we receive another distress call from a group of National Guardsmen.

We both bank left and head off to assist the soldiers. We reach their coordinates and find a group of soldiers taking shelter behind their armoured Humvees. They are taking fire from two groups of Moto-Terminators: one group firing from an overpass while the other group attacks them head on.

"I've got missile lock on the overpass, preparing to fire". Is this kid nuts?

"Negative. If you do that, you will bring the damn overpass down on our troops".

"Oh...Sorry, I'm new at this".

"Never mind. Use your cannon to destroy the units on the overpass; I will take care of the ones on the street". We break formation and head towards our respective targets.

I bank left and fly low to the ground, so low that I feel as if I might hit the pavement. It's all right though; the A-10 was designed for low flying air strikes. Three Moto-Terminators are now headed straight for me. They fire their Gatling guns in an attempt to shoot me down, not realizing that they were built to fire straight ahead, not up. The Gatling gun fire hits the Humvees, but does not penetrate the hulls to hit the soldiers standing behind them. I fire my Avenger cannon while swerving my plane left and right, destroying all three vehicles. I pull up and try to see if my companion needs any help with the enemies on the overpass.

"Hey, Crash! You need a hand?"

"No, I've nailed my targets. Hey, why do you think they keep exploding when we aren't using explosive shells?"

"It's the gas and ammunition. The shells hit the fuel tanks and ammo boxes, causing the vehicles to explode". Most of the military personnel that I have met are incredibly incompetent, but this kid is just....young. I wonder if he has even graduated high school.

After my brief lesson on destroying enemy vehicles, we split up and head off in different directions. This way, we will cover more ground and end this madness a lot faster. I hope the kid makes it through this; he's a good pilot, but he lacks experience. Then again, how many of us were just kids when we joined the Resistance. Young Sarah is only 19, and Allison is only 16. I guess I never noticed it before, but we have always sent babies to do our fighting. God, I hate this war.

I fly down another street and spot some Washington policemen being blasted by robotic helicopters firing rockets. The rockets slam into police cruisers and send shrapnel flying through the streets, slaughtering the unfortunate police officers. I don't think I have ever seen this type of machine before. Oh, no wonder: it says USAF on the side. Once again, the Department of Defence drops the ball. I dive towards the helicopters like a falcon and destroy them with my canon. As I fly over the surviving police officers, I can see people cheering. Everyone on the ground knows that the cavalry has arrived.

A few blocks down, I find a group of soldiers being shot up by two robotic tanks. They are struggling to find cover as explosive shells land all around them. I won't risk using my missiles, just in case one goes off course and slams into the soldiers. Instead, I dive towards the street and strafe the tanks with my cannon. Both tanks explode as my depleted uranium rounds rip through their armour and hit their fuel tanks and ammo boxes. As the tanks explode, the soldiers cheer and raise their weapons towards the skies. Those men are alive because I was there to save them. I had forgotten just how rewarding ground support missions were.

After flying out of the neighbourhood where the two tanks were blasting the National Guard, I spot another Hunter Killer flying straight towards the Capitol Building. It is not firing its weapons, so this is probably a suicide run. I have to stop it. I throttle up to full speed and pursue the Hunter Killer. It does not even seem to notice me; it just keeps flying towards the Capitol Building. When I reach optimal firing range, I fire my second Sidewinder missile. The Hunter Killer is struck in the left engine and spirals out of control. It slams into the pavement one block away from the Capitol Building. As I fly over the Capitol Building, I perform a victory roll. I have always wanted to do that.

Flying over the Capitol Building, I spot four robotic tanks driving in a basic square formation down the National Mall. Where the hell are all of these tanks coming from? As they drive towards the Capitol Building, they fire their canons at the buildings that are lining the National Mall. Some of their shells hit buildings that belong to the Smithsonian. I have waited my entire life to see those museums, and I am not about to let these robotic bastards blow them up. I fly over the National Mall and engage the tank formation. I destroy the first two robotic tanks using my Mavericks and the last two are destroyed by my Avenger canon. I pass the Washington monument and fly by another A-10. The other pilot and I wave to each other as we head off to continue the battle.

On Pennsylvania Avenue, a police cruiser is being pursued by a pair of Moto-Terminators. The driver of the police cruiser manages to avoid the fire from the Moto-Terminators' Gatling guns and missile launchers, but he can only evade them for so long. The other A-10 and I fly in on an angle from opposite directions, so that we do not crash into each other. We both use our canons to attack the Moto-Terminators. I destroy the one on my right and he destroys the one on my left. Our wingtips nearly touch when we pass each other. Whoever is in that cockpit is a very skilled pilot.

"Attention all aircraft, this is General Brewster. The battle of Washington is over. Return to base". Finally; time to head home.

All five aircraft get into formation and fly back to the airbase. As we make our final approach on the landing strip, we find it lined with soldiers standing at attention. They salute us as we land and roll down the runway. After I have cut my engines, I notice that Catherine and General Brewster are present in the crowd. I pop the canopy open, remove my helmet, and salute the General. I climb out of my A-10 and run to the spot where Catherine and Brewster are standing. It is only when I reach them that I notice that someone is not present on the runway.

"Good work out there, Captain. This nation owes you a debt of gratitude".

"Not bad for a little boy from Canada, right General? Where's John Henry? I figured he would be out here to meet us". Catherine walks over and places her hand on my shoulder.

"John Henry has volunteered to stay here and help the Pentagon with the war effort".

"Ok, and what happens to us?"

"We're going back to Los Angeles. Our transport leaves within the hour".

"Without John Henry? Without your son?"

"He feels that he would be of more use at the Pentagon. He's probably right. He's always right". Catherine has tears forming in her eyes. I throw my arms around her and hold her as close as I can. She smiles and caresses my face. "By the way, you did great out there. How many did you bag today?"

"Sixteen ground targets and several aircraft". To my surprise, General Brewster slaps me on the back.

"I have to admit, I had my doubts about you. For the first time, I am glad to be proven wrong". The General extends his hand towards me. "Will you accept an old soldier's apology?" I accept his gesture and we shake hands.

"General, it has been a privilege to fight with the U.S. Air Force. Good luck and God speed. Oh, and take care of John Henry for us". I have grown quite attached to him over the past few months. He is essentially my best friend, even though he is completely synthetic.

"I will. God speed, Captain. Give them hell in Los Angeles". The General salutes me one last time, and then departs to return to the Pentagon. I take Catherine's hand and gently kiss it.

"Come on, let's go home". For some reason, she starts laughing. "What? What's so funny?"

"Charley, you never even called the bunker home. Every time we would return from a mission, you would always say, let's go back to the bunker".

"True, because I never really considered the bunker to be my home. In the bunker, I had a unit. In the Safe House, I have a family, and I am really looking forward to seeing them again. Especially after a long day of combat, advising a bunch of incompetent officers, and preventing a nuclear war". I swing my arm around Catherine's waist, and we walk into the transport together. Next stop: Los Angeles and the people who are as dear to me as my own family.


	43. Chapter 43

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXIII

When we arrive at Los Angeles, there is a car waiting for us. Catherine takes it and heads back to the Safe House. I take a taxi and go to get a bite to eat. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. I drive to some diner that I normally would not stop at to use the bathroom, but I'm starving and low on cash. So, this dive will have to do.

I grab a menu and wait for the waitress to take my order. The menu is covering my face, so I can not see the waitress and she can not see me. But, I can see the bottom of her waitress uniform and her legs. For some reason, her legs look very familiar.

"Hi, what can I get you?" I knew those legs looked familiar: it's Sarah Connor! What the hell is she doing here? I might as well have a little fun while I'm stuck in this dump.

"Um...yes, are your buns fresh? You know what, I will just see for myself". While keeping the menu in front of my face, I reach over and grab her butt. She obviously did not think it was funny, because she knocked the menu out of my hand and slapped me in the face. That is when she realized that it was me.

"You? When did you get back? And why did you just grab my butt?"

"Five minutes ago and I did it because it was funny. What are you doing here? Isn't there something more important for the C.O.'s mother to do?" Sarah smiles at me, which means she will probably not slap me in the face again.

"There is a future Resistance officer working here. Allison and I are here to check her out"

"Allison is here? Why didn't you just use Cameron?"

"Because I would like to leave at least one Terminator behind to guard the Safe House. Hey, Allison, look who's here!" Allison walks over to the table wearing an identical waitress uniform. I think these uniforms show off a little too much leg, but that could be because these women are like my family. Allison puts down her pen and pad and gives me a hug.

"Welcome back! How was Washington?"

"A war zone. How was Los Angeles?" Before she can answer the question, some fat bastard comes out of the kitchen and starts yelling.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? GET BACK TO WORK OR GET THE HELL OUT OF MY DINER!" Ok, this guy needs his ass kicked!

"Excuse me, sir? Did you just threaten my family?" Allison begins to panic. She knows exactly what I am capable of, and she is afraid that I will tear this guy apart.

"Don't do it! It's not worth it".

"You should listen to your family and sit your ass back down, shrimp".

"Hey, asshole! I did not spend my day defending YOUR nation's capitol from a division of renegade robots only to come home and find my family being pushed around by some civilian fat ass. Apologize, before I kick your fat ass back to whatever hole you crawled out of". He is so enraged that his nostrils are flaring. This is going to be fun.

"What....did...you.....say?"

"Which part: The part about flying a jet to keep your nation's capitol from being blown up by robots? Or the part about crushing you like the worm that you are?"

"THAT DOES IT!" He takes a swing at me. I catch his arm, twist it behind his back, and push him to the floor.

"What the...AAA! MY ARM!" I am twisting it; not hard enough to break it, just enough to be extremely painful.

"Apologize, or I will rip your arm out of its socket". I twist it even harder, just to emphasize my point.

"AAA! JESUS CHRIST!"

"On second thought, maybe it's time you took a bath in the deep fryer". This guy must weigh over two hundred pounds, but I lift him over my head without breaking a sweat. As I begin to carry this plus sized pinhead towards the kitchen, he begins to scream for mercy.

"HOLY SHIT! WHAT ARE YOU! OK! I'M SORRY! PUT ME DOWN!" I drop him on his fat ass. The impact actually makes the floor shake.

"There, now was that so hard?" He doesn't answer; he just scrambles to his feet and runs into the kitchen. Sarah starts laughing and then shouts at the cowering tub of lard in the kitchen.

"WE QUIT! Come on, girls. Let's get out of this dump".

"Right, Sarah. Come on, Kate. We're leaving". Kate? Who the hell is Kate? A young woman with red hair walks over to Sarah and Allison. "Captain Charles Zacks, meet Kate Brewster". This is Connor's wife. My God, she looks so young.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Brewster. You don't know this, but you have actually saved my life on several occasions".

"She's working her way through Medical School".

"I'm sorry...uh...it's nice to meet you Captain, but...this has all been a bit too much for me. Could you just take me home, please?" As we leave the diner, I lean over to Allison and whisper in her ear.

"Does Sarah know who she is?"

"No, and we aren't going to tell her yet. Ok?"

"Ok, for now. But we will have to tell her eventually".

"I know, but not yet. Let's just take Kate home and get back to the Safe House".

We drive Kate Brewster home and then head back to the Safe House. Allison is driving and I am sitting next to her, chatting about our days. Half way home, we get pulled over by a motorcycle cop. Allison starts to panic, because she does not have a driver's license. I tell her not to worry about it, because I will convince the cop to either make this all disappear to make himself disappear. Being invulnerable and immune to state laws does have its advantages.

"License and registration". As soon as the cop opens his mouth, Sarah appears to be frozen with fear. There is only one thing in the world that can scare Sarah Connor like that: the cop is a Terminator. I look down and spot a plasma weapon under my seat.

"Excuse me, officer. I believe what you are looking for is under this seat". I lean forward and grab the weapon. "ALLISON GET BACK!" She does, as I spring upright and fire the weapon at the cop's face. The right side of his face explodes, and then begins to reassemble itself. This is new. Before he has fully regenerated, I drop the weapon, run out of the car, and grab him. I throw him as far from the car as possible, and then I chase after him.

As I approach him to punch him in the face, he turns his arms into blades and stabs me in the stomach. The blade hurts like hell, but it does not penetrate my armour. I connect with a right hook to the face followed by a left uppercut. He slashes my throat with his other blade. The wound is painful, but not fatal. In an attempt to destabilize him, I punch him in the nose and then kick him in the stomach. He staggers backwards, but he does not fall.

He charges at me and swings his right blade towards my face. I block it with my arm, and jump -kick him in the stomach as hard as I can. He doubles over, and I knock him to the ground with a right uppercut to the chin. He leaps to his feet and slashes both of my legs. Undoubtedly, his intention was to sever my legs. Instead of a crippling injury, all that I have is a flesh wound. Connor did a great job building me. As the stunned Terminator tries to figure out why I am still standing, I kick him in the face and knock him down.

As he jumps back to his feet, one of his blades slashes up the right side of my body. It hurts like hell, but I will not let the pain hold me back. I punch him in the stomach as hard as possible, then I uppercut him in the face. While he is moving backwards, he slashes my chest. I am being sliced up like a salami! Fortunately, he might have just made my job a lot easier.

A few weeks ago, John Henry and I built a small compartment that we attached to my right leg. It contains a plasma grenade, covered by a plate of coltan. By slicing up my right side, the other Terminator has granted me access to the plasma grenade. How ironic: a trick that we picked up by watching T-888s might just save my ass from a T-1000.

While I was busy thinking about how clever we were in hiding a plasma grenade in my leg, the T-1000 cut up the left side of my face. That does it: no more Mr. Nice Terminator! I charge the T-1000 and start punching like a maniac. I hit him in the stomach, side, ribs, and face. He tries to impale me with his left blade, but I grab it with both hands and throw him to the ground. He lands on his stomach, and then transforms his back into his front to charge at me.

This time, he is the one that is infuriated. He hacks and slashes at me like some psychopath in a horror movie. I block his strikes with my arms and legs. Though his blades are shredding my flesh, they are not damaging my internal systems. He attempts to slice up the right side of my face, but I manage to knock his blade away with my arm. Unfortunately, I lose my right ear in the process. I must look like a slab of cold cuts by now.

Finally, the T-1000 decides to end this fight hand to hand. He reconfigures his blades into arms and wraps his hands around my neck. This guy is a lot stronger than I had expected; he brings me to my knees in seconds. It's now or never. I pop open the compartment on my right leg and pull out the plasma grenade. Despite being brought to my knees by a pissed off Terminator, I have a huge smile on my face.

"What?"

"OPEN WIDE!" I pull the pin on the grenade and shove it down his throat.

Surprised does not even begin to describe the expression on his face. Seconds later, he explodes. The exploding plasma has completely vaporized the T-1000, along with most of my skin. It has also temporarily blinded me. I am now crawling on all fours like a dog, unable to see a damn thing. Suddenly, I feel someone's hand on my shoulder.

"WHO IS THAT?"

"It's me! Don't punch me". It's Allison.

"The T-1000?"

"It's been vaporized. You did it, Charley".

"Good. Are my eyes open or closed? I can't really tell".

"Uh, you have no eyelids".

"Oh. I must look terrible".

"We're used to it. Come on, I'll help you get back to the car".

Allison helps me get back in the car and we drive back to the Safe House. By the time we reach the Safe House, my eyesight has returned. When I first catch a glimpse of myself in the rear-view mirror, it takes me a couple of seconds to realize that the Terminator in the mirror is me. I was already reaching for a plasma rifle when I realized that I was looking at myself.

"Uh, maybe someone else should go in first". Sarah laughs and pats me on the shoulder.

"Good idea. I'll go in first". Sarah walks in through the doorway, followed by Allison and then me. "We're home". John walks into the hallway to greet us, and I put my hands behind my head. When he sees me, he starts laughing.

"You can stop surrendering now, Captain. If you were a hostile, my mother would have shot you long before you reached the Safe House. What the hell happened to him, anyway?" Sarah decides to answer his question.

"We were pulled over by a T-1000".

"Holy shit! Is everyone all right?"

"We are, thanks to him". Sarah sits on the couch and motions in my direction. "I froze, John. As soon as I heard his voice, I froze". Why does everyone in this family feel like a coward unless they have done some suicidal act?

"Sarah, there was nothing you could have done. I shot him at point blank range with a plasma rifle, and he recovered from it".

"He's right mom. The only thing that stopped the last one was dropping it in a vat of molten steel, and I doubt you had one of those lying around. What happened to the T-1000?"

"I shoved a plasma grenade down his throat and it vaporized him, along with my skin. Do you think you can grow me a new vat of flesh?"

"No problem. Catherine and Cameron have already taught me the recipe. It should take us about an hour to prepare".

"Thanks a lot, General. I really appreciate it".

"Thank you for saving my mother from a liquid metal killing machine".

"It's my job, Sir!" I snap to attention and salute him. He walks away laughing. Man, this has been a stressful day. I hope tomorrow is better. It can't possibly be any worse, can it?


	44. Chapter 44

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXIV

I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. God, it feels like I just climbed into bed. That T-1000 really took a lot out of me. Whoever this is had better have a damn good reason for waking me up, or I am going to start pulverizing things.

"Hello?"

"Charley, you're still alive. Good". It's John Henry. "Get everybody to a bunker, now!"

"What the hell? Do you think you can tell me what is going on before you start issuing orders?"

"The enemy has seized various military bases. It has begun!" Oh shit! I hang up the phone, get dressed and grab my weapon.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! EVERYONE GRAB AS MANY WEAPONS AS YOU CAN CARRY AND PREPARE TO EVACUATE! MOVE IT!" I am grabbing ammunition cartridges and grenades as everyone else begins to walk into the hallway. Sarah, wearing sweatpants and a tank top, is the first person to speak.

"Care to tell me what this is about?"

"J-Day has started. We're pulling out". People start to panic. We all thought we would have more time. We were wrong. "HEY! Pull yourselves together. Catherine, I need you to get us transportation to the nearest missile silo. We will hold it to the last man". John disagrees with my assessment of the situation.

"No we won't. Weaver, I am ordering you to disobey the Captain".

"What do you suggest, General? That we all hide while the world burns around us?" Even if he orders me to run, I am going to stay and fight. No more running.

"There are hundreds of nuclear missiles. Even if we held a single missile silo, it would not make a difference. But, if we could crash the internet...."

"We could crash SkyNet and end this before it goes nuclear. Brilliant! General, I take back every bad thing I ever said about you". I pull out my cell phone and call John Henry. "J.H.? We need transportation to the Pentagon. NOW!"

"We are a little busy here, Captain".

"John has a plan to terminate your brother before he blows up the world".

"Excellent. I'm sending you a private jet. All of our military units have their hands full".

"I don't doubt it. We'll be at the airport within the hour. We have to hurry or none of this will matter". Behind me, I can hear Sarah shouting orders.

"Take as many ammunition cartridges and grenades as you can fit in your pockets. Everyone carries a plasma weapon. Weaver, get Savannah someplace safe".

"I'll have her brought to the basement of my office. It's fairly deep, and should survive a nuclear blast".

"I want to stay with you".

"Savannah, I need you to trust me. You need to stay in the basement no matter what happens. Like playing hide and seek. Ok?"

"Ok, mommy". Catherine's heart must be breaking, but the Pentagon is no place for a small child.

The car picks up Savannah and drives her to the office, as we all head to the airport. We hop on the plane and fly to Washington. The city is in the same condition as yesterday, rife with panic. A convoy of black cars takes us to the Pentagon.

"Cameron, you take John to John Henry. No matter what happens, he must get to that room and help J.H. crash the internet. Everyone else, head to a checkpoint and hold it as long as you can. Once SkyNet figures out what we are doing, it will come down on us like a ton of bricks".

We split up and head to our positions. Before we depart, we clip walkie-talkies to our clothes so that we may communicate with each other. Cameron and John run inside the Pentagon to reach John Henry and end this before it gets out of hand. I start to chat with the human security guards that are manning my checkpoint. We have a nice conversation, right up until the moment they are slaughtered by Gatling guns.

Without warning, an army of T-600s and T-888s descend on my position. The T-600s are armed with Gatling guns while the T-888s have a variety of automatic weapons. They have AK 47s, M16s, Uzis and various other guns. As their bullets bounce off my armour, my plasma rounds pulverize their skulls. I mow down wave after wave of Terminators with my plasma rifle. The majority of attackers are T-600s, but there are many T-888s as well.

We are all using the latest plasma rifle developed by John Henry. Unlike previous weapons, these ones use ammunition cartridges that can be easily replaced. As soon as my current cartridge has been depleted of energy, I eject it from the rifle and insert the next cartridge. Though my flesh is torn and my clothes are ripped, I stand my ground and blast everything that moves in the head. I love these rapid firing plasma weapons. Even though I have destroyed many Terminators, Catherine informs me that the battle is not progressing in our favour.

"Charley, if you can hear me, the Terminators have overrun several checkpoints. They are breaking through". Well that's just great. What else can go wrong?

"Ok, new plan: everyone fight your way to the room where the Johns are. We must stop them from reaching that room at any cost".

Reluctantly, I abandon my post and begin to charge towards John and John Henry's position. Along the way, I encounter squads of Terminators that have broken through our defences and I blast them all in the head. In one hallway, I destroyed twenty Terminators. After heavy fighting, I finally reach the room. Dozens of Terminators lay slain in my wake.

The others have probably gone through the same hailstorm of bullets and metal that I have. Sarah, Reese, and young Sarah are now wearing full body armour. Cameron is shot to hell, but she is still functioning. Catherine does not have a scratch on her; one of the advantages of being a T-1000 series Terminator.

"All right people, listen up. This is our Alamo, we hold the line here. Terminators up front, humans in the back. Shoot everything that comes this way".

The wall in front of us explodes, and an army of Terminators comes pouring through the opening in the wall. We take up our positions and blast them to oblivion. Every Terminator that comes through the opening is greeted by a hailstorm of plasma fire. Catherine, Cameron, and I are in the front, absorbing the bullets so that they do not reach the humans. Sarah, Reese, and young Sarah are standing a few feet behind us. Anything that gets through our fire is blasted by them. The bodies of destroyed Terminators are starting to pile up, as wave after wave assault our position only to be slaughtered by our superior firepower.

Unfortunately, we can not keep this up indefinitely. Eventually, we will run out of ammunition and we will be overrun. I am down to my last cartridge. It is time to do something incredibly stupid. If it works, then I just might be able to buy John and John Henry enough time to end this. If not, then I will fall with the people that I love.

"Hey, Cameron! Catch". I throw her my weapon, and she catches it. "Use it in good health". I charge the oncoming horde of Terminators and engage them head on. Behind me, I can hear Catherine yelling.

"Charley, get back in formation! This is crazy, Charley get your ass back here!" I have never heard her speak like that before. She really does love me. I run towards the onslaught of Terminators, throwing as many plasma grenades as I can. Six foot tall Terminators are blown to bits by the exploding plasma weapons. The moment that I throw my last grenade, I engage the Terminators in hand to hand combat.

I crash into the enemy lines and backhand, punch and kick everything that is in front of me. Every time that I encounter a T-600, I knock its head off. The T-888s are another story altogether. I can not destroy them in hand to hand combat, but I can slow them down. I hit them as hard as I can to knock them down. When one gets by me, I grab it and pull it to the ground. This buys the others enough time to reload and blast the metal bastards before they can get up. Unexpectedly, I notice that one of the plasma rifles is changing its angle of fire. Someone is moving out of formation. As I punch a T-888 in the face, I look over my shoulder to see Catherine running towards me.

Catherine charges at the Terminators, firing her rifle at their heads. She destroys as many as she can before running out of energy. Then she drops her plasma rifle, turns her arms into blades and begins to decapitate the Terminators. T-600s can be destroyed by decapitation, but the T-888 can function even without its head. This is odd, since I have destroyed dozens of these things by shooting them in the head. Then I realize that I had always destroyed the right half of their skull, where their chips are.

"Catherine, their chips! Stab them in their chips!"

She does, and the T-888s begin to drop dead. I handle the T-600s while she takes on the T-888s. Anything that gets past us gets shot in the head by the others. The Terminators are like an endless tide. Wave after wave comes at us, each one as determined to break through as the last. I knock the head off of every T-600 I encounter, while Catherine stabs the chips of the T-888s. As the battle progresses, we realize that we need to pick up the pace. It is only a matter of time before the others run out of ammunition.

"Catherine! Fighting retreat! Everyone else, toss your grenades".

We lean forward as we run, so that the grenades sail over us and into the mass of machines. The entire opening erupts into a fireball, as the current wave of Terminators is obliterated by the exploding grenades. The next wave has been thrown into complete disarray. We are now out of grenades and nearly out of plasma ammunition. Time to go for broke. I look at Catherine, and she understands.

We turn around and charge the next wave of Terminators. We both reach the opening before the Terminators, and block their path to the others. Just as before, I handle the T-600s while she stabs the T-888s. If this is how I go down, then I shall fall fighting side by side with the woman that I love. One by one, we slay everything that stand before us. Countless T-600s and T-888s lie dead around us, yet they continue to attack. There are just too many of them. This is a battle that we can not win.

Suddenly, all of the T-600s stop dead in their tracks. The T-888s, realizing that they lack sufficient numbers to carry out the assault on their own, begin to retreat. I try to chase after them, but Catherine grabs me by the arm and pulls me back through the opening.

"We can not possibly destroy them all. They will have to wait for another day". I hate to admit it, but she is right. Hopefully, others will not pay the price for our inability to act. A door opens and John and John Henry walk out to meet us.

"We did it, it worked!"

"What the hell just happened?"

"John realized that, instead of trying to shut down the internet, we should try to overload it. Any machine will malfunction if it is overloaded, and my brother is no exception".

"What happened to the T-600s?" John comes up with an explanation that makes me want to jump for joy.

"After we had overloaded the World Wide Web, it crashed. Obviously, these machines were unable to cope with SkyNet being taken off line and they shut down. Hopefully, the rest of the Terminator army did the exact same thing".

"SkyNet is offline? We won?"

"Yes, we won". It takes a minute for the news to sink in. When it does, I grab Catherine and begin to twirl her around the hallway.

"YAHOO! WE WON! WE WON!"

Sarah gives Reese a huge, passionate kiss. Young Sarah and Allison are jumping up and down cheering, as Cameron and John hug each other. We did it! We saved the world! Our celebration is cut short, when the Terminators in the room hear the sounds of gunfire outside of the Pentagon. I would recognize that sound anywhere: it is the sound of M82s firing in unison. We all rush outside to discover that all of the T-888s have been destroyed, and the building is now surrounded by men carrying M82s. One man approaches us and calls out my name.

"Which one of you is Captain Zacks?" Well, this is unusual. I step up and introduce myself.

"I am Captain Charles Zacks of the Resistance". The man snaps to attention and salutes me.

"Lieutenant John Tipper, at your service. General Connor sent my unit here to help you defend the Pentagon. It seems we arrived just as the battle was ending".

"Your help is still appreciated, Lieutenant. You kept all of these machines from escaping to kill another day. Good job".

We salute each other and shake hands. Then, we all head back inside the Pentagon to disassemble the T-600s. Well, the humans disassemble the T-600s, but Catherine, Cameron and I rip them apart. There are many units and it takes us a few hours, but we eventually destroy all of the disabled Terminators. After the T-600s have been completely destroyed, we all depart and return to our respective headquarters.

By the time we return to the Safe House, I discover that the internet has already been restored. The email icon on our laptop is blinking. I click on it, just out of curiosity. The message is brief and simple. It says: Today, you won the battle. The war continues.


	45. Chapter 45

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXV

December 31, 2009, the end of the decade. I have lived in the past for nearly a year, and it has been the happiest year of my life. I have a girlfriend, a child who loves me like a father, and a young woman that loves me like a brother. Yet at any moment, it could all come crashing down in a nuclear fireball. Judgment Day could be right around the corner, and we will not know it until it is too late.

This afternoon, John discovered an unusual energy signature. Cameron, Sarah, and I went out to investigate. The source of the energy signature was a building in the middle of nowhere. As the first one out of the car, I smashed down the door and entered the building. Once I was sure that it was safe, I signalled for Cameron and Sarah to join me.

"Well?"

"There's nothing here. No equipment, no power source, nothing to suggest an energy signature. Maybe John was wrong this time". Sarah actually looks insulted by my remark.

"I trust my son. If he said there was an energy signature here, then there was an energy signature here. Maybe they moved it".

"Sarah, I did not mean any disrespect. I'm just saying.....everyone makes mistakes, even John Connor".

"Have you ever made a mistake?"

"Of course I have. After all, I'm only human. Er.....I was only human". Sarah starts to laugh, which eases the tension in the room. We still have to solve the mystery of the missing energy signature. Suddenly, I notice Cameron cocking her head like a confused cat.

"Do you hear something beeping?" I have to really focus to hear it, but I do.

"Yeah, I do. Stay here with Sarah, I'll check it out".

"Why can't I go with you?"

"Because my armour is stronger than yours. Besides, we can't leave Sarah alone, can we?" Sarah rolls her eyes.

"I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself".

"Isn't that how you keep getting kidnapped?" This is true, but it could also get me shot. She looks me straight in the eye; it amazes me how intimidating she is. I am virtually indestructible and she can still scare the hell out of me.

"How many times do you feel like being blown up?"

"I retract my question".

"Good man....machine...whatever you are".

I just laugh it off and head towards the sound of the beeping. It seems to be coming from behind a wall. I punch through the wall and begin to rip out the bricks. Sure enough, I find a timing mechanism hidden behind the bricks. The device is counting down, and the countdown is almost up. Crap! A bomb!

"EVERYONE OUT, NOW!"

Sarah and Cameron run out of the building, with me far behind them. I run as fast as I can towards the exit. Sarah and Cameron have already reached the car; they are just waiting for me to catch up. I am just about to reach the exit, when I am overtaken by an extremely bright light. I think: this is it. I am dead, AGAIN! The next thing I know, I am standing naked in the middle of the desert. There is no sign of Sarah or Cameron. What the hell happened?

Without warning, three Hunter Killers fly over a sand dune and surround me. I am unarmed; there is nothing I can do to these flying killing machines. Four Moto-Terminators drive around the dune and surround me as well. At this particular moment, I would trade anything for a railgun. This is probably it; I am going to die.

"What are you waiting for? End this".

I expect a barrage of missiles and plasma bursts to annihilate me. Instead, two T-700s leap off of a Hunter Killer and walk towards me. Great, now I'm a prisoner. Running is not an option, not with those HKs and Moto-Terminators surrounding me. I might as well play along, and figure out what the hell happened later.

As I am loaded into a Hunter Killer by the two T-700s, I start thinking about Sarah. The last time I saw her, I was teasing her about her constantly being kidnapped. I wonder what she would say if she saw me now: naked, guarded, and being taken away to God only knows where. Or when, for that matter. If they sent T-700s after me instead of T-600s, then this is probably after 2018. Assuming, of course, that the timeline has not been altered. Man, I hate time travel.

After my trip in the Hunter Killer, I am lead into a room with a table and a few chairs. This looks like an interrogation room. I wonder how you interrogate a Terminator. Or, do they even know that I am a Terminator. This should be interesting. A T-700 walks into the room. I wonder if I can twist its head off?

"What is your name?" What do you know? They can talk.

"None of your business, metal man". It does not like my response, and burns me with a laser. It hurts like hell, but I can handle it.

"What is your name?"

"Kiss my ass". It turns the laser on again, this time at a higher setting. I wonder if this is what Allison and the Reese brothers went through when they were captured by SkyNet. No matter what happens, I will not tell this metal mother fucker anything.

"What is your name?" Could it at least change the question?

"Bite me". Realizing that the laser is not working, it walks over to me and slaps me across the face.

"What is your name?"

"You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine". It punches me in the stomach.

"You will break".

"You can suck my...." It slaps me across the face, again. Two more T-700s walk in and escort me out of the interrogation room.

I am lead through dark corridors filled with cages. This place looks like a zoo from hell. There are various animals and people in the cages; all of them look close to death. The T-700s shove me in a cage with another person in it. I am about to make a witty remark, when I recognize the silhouette of my cell mate. It is Allison!

"Allison! Allison can you hear me?"

I run over to her and turn her over. She is barely breathing. God in heaven, what did these bastards do to her? I start to perform CPR, but her condition remains the same. Come on, Allison! Don't die on me now. I perform mouth to mouth resuscitation in addition to CPR. Come on, Allison, breathe! BREATHE!

Her breathing and her pulse return to normal. I did it! I saved her! Thank God my father forced me to take CPR classes. Allison regains consciousness and begins to scream. I throw my arms around her and try to calm her down, which could be difficult considering that we are in a cage and I am still naked.

"Sshh! It's ok. You're going to be ok. How are you feeling?"

"I thought they killed me".

"So did I". Tears are forming in my eyes. "I thought I lost you, Allison". She looks so confused right now. That is understandable, when you are lying in a cage with a naked man who is crying.

"Um....Have we met?" Oh great, this is before she went back in time. This Allison hasn't met me yet. On the bright side, now I know how she escaped from the machines. I'm the one that will save her, as soon as I figure out how.

"Well, you haven't met me yet. But I have met you". She has a lost puppy dog look on her face.

"You're confusing me".

"We met in the year 2009. My name is Captain Charles Zacks, and you and I will become very close in the future. Well.....the past. Time travel gives me a headache". I have never seen her eyes grow that wide before. Nor have I ever seen her that filthy before. I have got to get her out of here.

"So, we're....close".

"Oh...not THAT kind of close. More like a brother / sister kind of thing. Right now, your big brother is going to get you out of here".

"How?"

"I don't know yet; I like to make things up as I go along".

The first thing I need to do is get us out of this cage. I walk over to the bars and punch through them, forcing my way out of the cage. After breaking the bars and getting outside of the cage, I notice a pair of T-700s running towards me. I grab the first one and throw it into a wall. Then, I kick the second one behind its right knee and bring its head down to the same height as my arms.

"My name is Charles Zacks, and it is the last name you will ever hear". I grab its head and rip it off its body.

The second T-700 runs towards me, and I do a sweeping kick to trip the big brute. After it falls, I jump onto its chest, grab its head, and pull until it comes off. That takes care of the welcoming committee; now to figure out a way out of here. First, I will have to figure out where here is.

"Very impressive, Charles". It's the T-700 that was interrogating me earlier. I wonder why it did not attack me when the other two did.

"Afraid to face me, you big, metal coward".

"Such a waste; to contaminate a perfectly good chassis with a human brain".

"My heart and brain might be human, but the rest of me is still strong enough to rip you apart. Why don't you come out here and I'll show you".

"Perhaps some other time". My God: I am having a conversation with a T-700. Time to end this and get the hell out of here.

"I will only say this once: I am getting out of here and I am taking her with me. If I can not get her out of here, then I will rip this place apart along with everything in it. If you think I am bluffing, then try to stop me and see what happens". I am not sure, but I think I can hear it laughing.

"Go".

This might be a trap, but I don't care. I have to get her out of this place before they kill her. I grab Allison, throw her over my shoulder, and I start running. I run until I come across a door, which I promptly shatter into a million pieces. It is only after I shatter the door that I discover that we are on a ship in the middle of nowhere. I recognize the design; this is one of the seven factory ships. Escape will be difficult, but not impossible. If I can blow them up, I can escape from them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a Hunter Killer refuelling on the deck. I run over to it, place Allison on the deck, and rip out the fuel pumps. Then, I rip open a side panel, smash the equipment, and place Allison inside the Hunter Killer. I hotwire the cockpit, and fly us off of the ship. Now to get back to the Resistance and get Allison some medical attention.

As we approach what used to be the headquarters for Connor's division, we are intercepted by a pair of A-10s. I trained most of the young pilots in Connor's division. I know their strategies and I know their tactics. More importantly, I know their codes. I begin to blink Morse code to the two A-10s through the Hunter Killer's eyes. The message reads: ATTENTION! FRIENDLIES ON BOARD! DO NOT FIRE! REPEAT: DO NOT FIRE!"

My Morse code is a little rusty, but it gets the message through. The A-10s come about and send a signal to me through their tail lights. The message reads: UNDERSTOOD! FOLLOW US BACK TO BASE! All three aircraft fly back to the old base and land on the airstrip. Soldiers carrying very familiar plasma rifles begin to surround the Hunter Killer. I guess John Henry survived J-Day and is now one of our chief weapons designers. With John Connor to lead us, and John Henry to arm us, SkyNet does not stand a chance. I walk out of the Hunter Killer carrying Allison over my shoulder.

"MEDIC! This girl needs medical attention, now!" The medics come out with a stretcher, which I lay her on. Before they wheel her away, I give her a kiss on the forehead. "I told you I would get you out, little sister". She just smiles and nods.

"Sir, can you tell me your name".

"Captain Charles Zacks of the Resistance. I would like to speak with our Commanding Officer".


	46. Chapter 46

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXVI

When John and I see each other, we exchange salutes and smiles. He looks just like the battle hardened Commanding Officer that I remember. John Henry is here as well. He has not aged a day since 2009. I hope that the others are all right.

"Welcome back".

"Thank you, Commander. I've missed you".

"It's General Connor, now Mr. Zacks. I'm the new Supreme Commander of the Resistance".

"Well, it was bound to happen eventually. Congratulations, Sir. I can't think of anyone who deserves this more than you do".

"Thank you. John Henry, escort Major Zacks to the barracks and get him some equipment. I don't like my officers walking around naked". What did he say?

"I beg your pardon, Sir? MAJOR Zacks?"

"You escaped from an enemy base, rescued a fellow Resistance soldier, and captured a Hunter Killer in operational condition. I think that merits a promotion, don't you". At this moment, I feel like I don't even need a plane. I feel like I could float to my target. With a huge smile on my face, I snap to attention and salute.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir!" John smiles and returns my salute.

"You're welcome. Now go put on a uniform".

I follow John Henry to the barracks. As we walk, we chat about how things are progressing in the future: the status of new weapons, the progress we are making on all fronts, the new tactics and strategies that have been developed since my disappearance, and various other war related topics. One thing neither of us talks about is the rest of the Connor clan. I am afraid to ask what happened to them, because I am afraid that we are all that is left. If something happened to Allison while I was away, I would never forgive myself.

After he helps me find a new uniform and some new equipment, John Henry leaves to rejoin John in the Command Center. My best friend is now the top weapons designer in the Resistance, as well as the top advisor to the Supreme Commander. If Catherine were here, she would be beaming with pride. I hope she had a good life after I vanished, again. This is the second time that I have left her, and the second time that I appeared to sacrifice myself to save others. She must have been ticked off when she found out that I was gone.

The barracks is exactly like I remembered it: dirty, dark, and humid. I remember most of the soldiers here, but there are some new faces. There are also many old faces that I can not find in the barracks. I do not bother to ask what happened to them; I think I already know the answer. My old bunk is still empty, so I might as well settle in. Hopefully, there is an A-10 that is available; I can't wait to get back in the air.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, I'm looking for Major Zacks". The speaker has a British accent. This is new; we've never had personnel from overseas before.

"Well, you've found him". I turn around and nearly black out. The person that was looking for me is a woman that looks exactly like Sarah. I've seen some weird things in my lifetimes, but this takes the cake. I wonder if John has seen this woman yet.

"My name is Lena, and I was told you were the person to see about pilots".

"You were told correctly; I helped to train most of the pilots in this division. What exactly do you need?"

"What I need is an experienced pilot to train our men and lead our squadrons. How soon can you leave for England?" What the hell? For some reason, I start to do my Winston Churchill impression.

"Madame, I will never....surrender.....my commission". Apparently, John Connor entered the barracks when I was not looking, because I can hear his voice from behind me.

"Yes, you will. We have a submarine leaving shortly after sunset, and you are going to be on it". Did I just get traded to the British? What is going on here? I turn around to face the Commanding Officer.

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Granted".

"Thank you sir. WHAT THE HELL?" I am yelling at the Supreme Commander. Well, my career is more or less over. "I have never disobeyed one of your orders. I am one of your most experienced and most talented pilots and you are transferring me to England. Why, in God's name, are you getting rid of one of your best pilots?"

"Because, MAJOR, I am now commanding the entire Resistance. I have soldiers in every country, and they need to be able to fight. The British lack experienced pilots, more importantly they lack people to train their rookies. I need to keep the Resistance fighters in England alive, and that means giving them air cover. You WILL be on that submarine, you WILL go to England, and you WILL do your duty to the best of your abilities. Is that understood, Major?" I snap to attention and salute.

"YES SIR!"

"Good. Pack your gear. Lieutenant Reese will take you to the submarine". So Reese is still alive. Or, is this Reese before he went back in time? Man, I hate time travel. The British woman has a huge smile on her face. At least someone here is not royally ticked off at this moment.

"Thank you, General Connor. Your decision will save many lives in England. Major, I will rendezvous with you aboard the Jimmy Carter. Oh, and I highly suggest that you refrain from doing any more Winston Churchill imitations". She chuckles as she walks away. Incredible, even their laughs are the same. I am about to make a comment about this, when I catch a glimpse of John's face. He has a Don't even think about it look on his face. Rather than start something that might get me transferred to Siberia, I keep my tongue behind my teeth and prepare for my journey.

It does not take a long time to pack up my gear, mostly because I do not have any gear. I was transferred before anyone could issue new gear to replace the stuff that I lost when I blew up. All that I have is the uniform on my back and a few personal items that miraculously survived the destruction of my plane. I still can't believe that they kept this stuff. At this moment, I would not trade these possessions for all of the comforts of 2009. One item in particular is irreplaceable to me: my old high school ring. It is not a particularly valuable item, but it does have something very special engraved on the interior of the ring: Joshua, my original name. Currently, that engraving is the only link I have to my past.

When the time comes to board the Jimmy Carter, Reese escorts me to the dock. I try to strike up a conversation with him, but he refuses to speak to me. I'm not sure, but I think that he hates me. Did I ever give him a reason to hate me? I can't remember. Just as I am about to set foot on the submarine, someone grabs me by the arm and takes me aside.

"It's not you, it's what you're made of".

"What?"

"The way Reese is treating you, it's because you're metal. He's not the only one that hates anything mechanical. Watch your back".

"Come on, we're all on the same side here".

"For some people, hatred overshadows all allegiances. Some would gladly sacrifice their lives and the lives of their comrades to destroy you. Be careful".

"Thanks for the warning, but I can take care of myself". The man that took me aside shakes my hand and wishes me luck on the journey to England.

"Believe me; you are going to need all of the luck you can get".

After boarding the submarine, I help the crew carry and store heavy equipment that we are transporting from Resistance Headquarters to England. Crates and machinery that would normally require two humans to lift are carried with one arm. This is one of the occasions when I like to show off. The crew is mostly trying to avoid me; I don't think they trust me. No matter; I could use a few hours alone right now. I am going to spend hours underwater in a metal tube, with no armour protection, traveling to a new assignment on a different continent. Great!

At noon, I join the rest of the crew in the galley. The food is only slightly better than field rations, which is more than I can say for the company. As soon as I sat down at the table, everyone stopped talking. As I was staring at my tray, I noticed the reflection of a crewman coming at me with a bayonet. I spun around, grabbed him, and slammed his head into the table. I have fought for the Resistance since 2013, and this asshole just tried to kill me. This is ridiculous.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" A woman with an Australian accent has entered the galley and has started shouting. The British woman from the barracks is standing beside her. This day is getting better and better.

"He attacked me with a bayonet, so I defended myself". The woman with the Australian accent looks at me, then at the man on the floor.

"Is he alive?"

"For now. I intend to press charges as soon as possible". The entire crew looks shocked at my comment. They obviously did not expect this kind of a response from me.

"That will not be necessary. I will see to it that he is confined to quarters for the rest of the voyage". WHAT? I am so enraged that I snap the table in half with my fist.

"Confined to quarters? HE ATTACKED A SUPERIOR OFFICER WITH A WEAPON! In the air force, he would have been shot on the spot".

"Well, this isn't the air force, is it?"

"Don't give me that bullshit! This is because I'm not human, isn't it?"

"You have to admit, a bayonet could not do any real damage..."

"If he attacked me with a plasma rifle, would you still confine him to quarters? What about a shoulder mounted missile? Or a nuclear bomb? How powerful a weapon does he have to use before his actions are considered high treason?"

"Major..."

"THAT'S RIGHT! I am a Major. Whether you like it or not, I am an officer. Attacking a superior officer is an act of treason, punishable by death". The man that attacked me begins to groan on the floor. "SHUT UP! You're lucky you're still breathing". I pick up my tray and hurl it at the bulkhead. As I begin to storm off towards my quarters, the two women are blocking my path.

"I will not have you causing a stir aboard my ship".

"Get out of my way. That is an order".

"You listen to me, you metal bastard: on this ship, I give the orders". I grab her, lift her over my head, and put her down behind me.

"I don't give a shit. Disobey me again and I will have you arrested for disobeying orders". The British woman is still in my way. "Do not push me to violence. Get out of my way or you are under arrest". She moves and I storm out of the galley. As I walk towards my quarters, I can hear her talking to the woman with the Australian accent.

"What do you think, Jessie?"

"I think we've got our hands full with this one. I don't think I have ever seen one that acted so....human".

"That's because I used to be human, you idiot".

"What?"

"Allow me to introduce myself, since you clearly did not read past the word Terminator in my file. Major Charles Zacks: born in Montreal, February 22, 1987. Killed in action: April 11, 2018. Rebuilt as a Terminator by General John Connor in 2024. My organs were all transplanted into this chassis. Beneath my metal exterior, I am just as human as you. Remember that the next time one of your mutinous crew tries to stab me".

When I reach my quarters, I slam the door and jump onto my bunk. I can not believe this: I have fought against SkyNet since Judgement Day, and these people are trying to kill me. This is ridiculous. Though I am alone in my quarters, I can hear a man's voice speaking within the room.

"I tried to warn you, didn't I?" It is the same man that spoke to me before I boarded the Jimmy Carter. However, I do not believe that he is a man, or ever was one. There is only one person that this could be.

"CATHERINE!" She oozes out of one of the walls and reforms herself beside me on the bunk, completely naked.

"Welcome back to the Resistance, Charley". This day just got a whole lot better.


	47. Chapter 47

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXVII

I can not believe it! She found me. Over ten years have passed since we last saw one another, and she managed to find me. Catherine Weaver is truly a marvel to behold. I just hope that no one throws a grenade in here before we have had a chance to catch up.

"How the hell did you find me?"

"Well, after Judgement Day, I started to fight with the Resistance as various soldiers. When you returned to the base with Allison, I followed you until you boarded the Jimmy Carter. Then, I hid in one of the cargo crates and explored the ship until I found you".

"You are an amazing woman, Catherine. So, you made it through J-Day".

"Yes, I did".

"I'm almost afraid to ask this, but, what happened to everyone else?" Catherine curls up next to me before she answers my question.

"Some of them did not make it. Sarah died of cancer before J-Day, and Reese was shot in the head by a T-888".

"Damn! Well, we both knew it would happen. We just tried not to think about it". Catherine seems confused by my response.

"Are you talking about Sarah or Reese?"

"Both. We all knew that Sarah was going to die before J-Day, but Reese and I also knew when he would die".

"How could you possibly...."

"We found his autopsy report when we were raiding the hospital for medical supplies. We burned it and hoped that the timeline had been changed to prevent it. Apparently, that part remained unchanged. What happened to everyone else?"

"Savannah is still alive. In fact, she is a pilot in our old squadron".

"Really? I guess she wanted to be like her mother. Too bad I didn't get a chance to meet her".

"You've actually flown with her on several occasions. You just did not know who she was at the time".

"I've flown with your daughter? Only, I did not know that she was your daughter, because I had not gone back in time to.....AAH! Time travel gives me migraines!" Catherine begins to laugh at me.

"It has that effect on a lot of people, Charley".

"Let's get back to the others, shall we? What happened to Allison?"

"She survived to become an officer in the Resistance. She's changed her name, though. It would have been too confusing to have two Allison Youngs. Sarah's granddaughter did the same thing. As far as I know, they are both alive and well". Thank God.

I spend the rest of the trip in my quarters, talking to Catherine. When the time comes to leave the Jimmy Carter, she oozes into my personal belongings so that we can stay together. Personally, I think she is afraid of being shot by the crew. These guys really hate Terminators, even the Terminators that are loyal to the Resistance. The woman called Jessie bids me farewell and apologizes for the way that I was treated while on board the Jimmy Carter. Part of me would like to believe that her apology is sincere, but I highly doubt it. She hates me just as much as the rest of the crew.

The English woman leads me to her base. The hangar is filled with former Royal Air Force aircraft; mostly Tornados and Eurofighters. Though these planes are faster and more agile than the A-10, and they are just as heavily armed, they lack the armour protection of the A-10. I would rather be in a slower, heavily armoured aircraft than a faster, more agile one. Regardless of the choice of aircraft, I will carry out my orders and train these people to fight.

"Follow me, Major. Our Command Center is just behind this door". Their Command Center is located behind a large, heavily armoured door. It sort of resembles a panic room or a bunker. The English woman walks over to a nearby keypad and attempts to unlock the door, but she seems to be having some difficulty. "Bloody Hell! The blasted locking mechanism is malfunctioning again! Could you hand me those tools, Major?" I'm in no mood to wait, so I rip the door off its hinges.

"Does that help, Miss....?"

"My name is Lena, and you are going to have to reattach that door". I drop the door and walk into the Command Center. The Commanding Officer walks over to me and offers me his hand.

"Ah, this must be our new pilot from America. I am Colonel Merril, Welcome to England". I accept his gesture and shake his hand. "I am told that you Yank pilots are among the best in the Resistance".

"I'm Canadian. I only fight for the Americans".

"Good, we should get along nicely. Our pilots are in the next room, they are quite anxious to meet you. I must warn you, though, they are terribly inexperienced. Most of the RAF was wiped out on J-Day. Have you had a chance to examine our aircraft?"

"I'm going to do that right now, Colonel. I would like one of your technicians to accompany me. There are some suggestions that I would like to make".

"Splendid. My chief engineer will accompany you. Good luck with our lads and our planes". Well, at least the British haven't tried to kill me yet.

As soon as I climb into the cockpit of one of the Eurofighters, I realize that a lot of changes must be made. Good God, there is more tech in this cockpit than in the HK that I....acquired. It will have to be torn out immediately. Heads up displays, fly by wire systems, all vulnerable to SkyNet hacking. The reason we have to use A-10s and F-16s instead of F-22s and Joint Strike Fighters is that SkyNet hacked into the computers of the new planes and caused them to crash. These British planes will have to be stripped to the bare essentials if they hope to last more than five minutes. It is ironic when you think about it: billions of dollars spent on developing state of the art equipment, and it will all have to be destroyed before it can kill us.

After instructing the technicians to rip out anything that can be hacked into, I leave the hangar to address my men. I brief them on the basics of combat flying, and instruct them to ignore every high tech gadget in their planes. The best instrument in a plane is always the pilot, or else the plane will be lost. We do not have a lot of time here, so these boys are going to get a crash course on combat tactics and manoeuvres. However, a few hours of instruction in a classroom are no substitute for a few minutes in the air. Time test my new pilots, and my new aircraft.

I grab two other pilots and head into the hangar. All three of us climb into the recently downgraded Eurofighters and prepare to take a short test flight. I need to see how these pilots can handle a jet, and I need to see how the planes themselves handle in a combat situation. Once you've stripped away all of the high tech garbage, the controls for the Eurofighter are not that different from those of the A-10. Now, let's see if these British birds have wings.

"All pilots check in".

"Bulldog here, all systems go".

"Union Jack here, ready to roll".

"Tin Man here, time to fly". I chose my call-sign based on the nickname Sarah had for Cameron: Tin Miss. Of course, Sarah meant it as an insult, but I thought that it was cool. We take off in single file and then fly in a diamond formation. I decide to start off with some simple formation flying exercises. "Bulldog, Union Jack, stick to me like glue. Follow my manoeuvres and you might just make it back to base".

"Copy that, Tin Man".

"BANDIT INCOMING! Damn! We've been jumped by a Hunter Killer.

"Evasive manoeuvres. Do not attempt to engage the enemy. Follow me, boys".

I have to admit, I seriously underestimated the capabilities of the Eurofighter. The HK is actually struggling to keep up with us. Our planes are faster and more manoeuvrable than the HK; we can practically fly circles around them. As we attempt to escape our pursuer, a second Hunter Killer joins in on the hunt.

As I lead my small squadron of three planes, the other two pilots mirror my every move. We conduct a series of manoeuvres that would have been impossible for the A-10. I think I am starting to like this new plane. Though I am having a blast outrunning and outmanoeuvring the HKs, it is time to end this little chase. Let's see how the weapons work on this thing.

"Bulldog, Union Jack, on my mark, you both break off and head back to base".

"Sir?"

"Could you repeat that, Sir?"

"On my mark, you break off and try to get the HKs to follow you. Ready? THREE! TWO! ONE! MARK!" The other planes fall out of formation and head back towards the hangar.

As I had expected, the two HKs ignore me and pursue the other two aircraft. My plan is working perfectly. As the other two planes attempt to evade their pursuers, I swing around behind the HKs and lock missiles on their engines. I fire one missile at each target, sending them both plummeting into the English countryside.

"BLOODY HELL! You could have warned us that you were going to do that".

"Part of being in command is that you do not have to explain your actions to anyone. Good job boys, you've survived your baptism by fire. Back to base".

Immediately after landing, I call all of my pilots together and brief them on the characteristics of the Eurofighter compared to those of the HK. I instruct them on the best manoeuvres and tactics for destroying an opponent in air to air combat, as well as the best way to evade an enemy aircraft. I also inform them of the basic tactics for ground support missions. Our planes are not as well armoured as the American A-10, so we must rely on our speed and agility to avoid enemy anti aircraft fire. After spending many hours teaching my pilots in a classroom and in the hangar, I dismiss them and head for my bunk.

"Good hunting today, Major?" It is the English woman again. I wonder if she has been following me, or if this is just a coincidence. Or, could she be Catherine?

"Are you human?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Are you human?"

"Of course I'm bloody human! Are you trying to get me killed?" Definitely not Catherine.

"Sorry, I thought that you were someone else. Yes, today was a good day. Bagged two more HKs".

"Congratulations, Major. General Connor did say that you were an excellent combat pilot".

"Thank you. Is there something I can do for you?"

"I'm not sure. There are two women here to see you. A brunette and a red haired woman". The red haired woman is obviously Catherine, but the brunette......could it be?

"The brunette, does she have brown eyes? And a smile that seems to just light up a room?"

"She does have brown eyes, but I have never seen her smile. There is not much to smile about these days. Do you know her?"

"I think I do. Thank you for informing me of their arrival". I rush to the barracks and find Catherine standing beside a woman with brown hair and brown eyes. At first, I do not recognize her. The moment she smiles at me, I know exactly who she is. "ALLISON". I run up to her and throw my arms around her.

"Hello, Charley. It is good to see you".

"My God, you've aged beautifully. What are you doing in England?"

"I wanted to be as far from my younger self as possible, so I asked John for a transfer. It was just too.....uncomfortable for me". I am only half paying attention to what she is saying. I am so happy to see her again, that I just grab her and hold her tightly. "ACK! Charley, you're squeezing me!" I let go.

"I'm sorry, I was just so glad to see you. How have you been? What happened after I disappeared? God, I have a million questions for you". Allison smiles that sweet smile of hers. No matter what kind of a day you are having, that smile can make your spirits soar.

"There is someone that I want you to meet. CHARLEY?!" A six year old boy walks over to Allison. "This is my son. Charley, this is the man that I told you about".

"It is an honour to meet you, Sir".

"You have a....wow! I have been gone a long time. Um, where is his father?"

"His father was killed in action a long time ago. I am really glad that you are here, Charley. We have a lot to talk about".

"I bet we do".


	48. Chapter 48

Terminator: Return of the Fallen

Part XXXXVIII

Allison and I spent the entire night talking. I promised to give her and her boy all of the spare rations, blankets, and medicine that I could find. After all, I am a Terminator; I do not need to eat or sleep a lot. In the morning, the British woman named Lena came to get me. Apparently, there had been some very disturbing developments on the other side of the English Channel.

SkyNet has been assembling a massive invasion fleet in France to attack England. Dozens of transports and aircraft carriers are preparing to descend on the United Kingdom, and swarm us with an overwhelming force. If this fleet manages to link up with the SkyNet forces already in England, we will be overrun. We must stop that fleet at any cost. I come up with a plan to save the day.

The plan is simple, we gather as many planes as we can find and sink that fleet before it can set sail. We will use the Eurofighters to draw out all of the enemy's aircraft, while the Tornados fly in low and destroy their ships with plasma warheads. In order for this plan to work, our Eurofighter force will have to be at least double the size of our Tornado force. We must trick SkyNet into thinking that the Eurofighters are the main body of the assault, and that the Tornados are just a diversion or a feint. Unfortunately, we do not have that many Eurofighters.

"It is a good plan, Major Zacks", replied Colonel Merril, "but we simply do not have the aircraft to pull it off". One of my best traits is also my worst: I am stubborn as a mule and I do not know how to give up. This plan is going to work, even if I have to fly all of the planes by remote. Remote....THAT'S IT!

"The Jimmy Carter is still in the area, correct?"

"It is. Why?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Jimmy Carter equipped to launch drones?"

"Drones? Drones can't fight Hunter Killers".

"No, but they can be modified to resemble a Eurofighter on a radar screen". The Colonel smiles at me. I think my plan is about to be approved.

"Jolly good, old boy. We attack tomorrow, and you will be leading the Eurofighter force. Good luck and God speed". I salute the Colonel, and then leave the Command Center to brief my men on the attack.

This attack will take place using aircraft from different squadrons across England. I will be leading them all in one of the largest diversionary attacks in history. If it works, the Resistance in England will live to fight another day. If it fails, then we are all going to die anyway. We might as well go down fighting. Besides, I am a pilot; I live in the air and I should die in the air.

Though we are incredibly outnumbered, we do have a few tricks up our sleeves. Our planes are faster and more manoeuvrable than the Hunter Killer. We also have John Henry's latest invention: a new kind of energy canon that will be strapped to the undersides of our planes. These canons have never been tested in combat before. I can not wait to see what these shiny new guns can do against Hunter Killers. If we are destined to die in the skies over Europe, we will die taking as many of those metal bastards with us as possible.

The night before the big assault, Catherine and I walk over to the infantry barracks. If this is my last night alive (more or less), then I want to spend it with the closest thing I have to a family. Allison and her son are glad to see me, but Allison nearly freaks out when she hears about tomorrow's battle plan.

"Are you insane? This is a suicide attack!"

"It is also our only chance to save the Resistance here in England. We have to do this Allison".

"The HKs have plasma rifles now; you are going to get yourself killed".

"Well, if we all have to die someday, I would like to die doing what I love the most: flying". Allison has tears in her eyes, so I place my arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "I'm going to be all right, Allison. Don't worry about me".

"Promise me. Promise me that you will come back".

"I promise, on my honour as an officer, I will come back".

After our emotional conversation, I kissed Allison on her forehead and headed back to my barracks. Before every battle, Catherine and I go through a little ritual: first, we make love to ease the tension we feel. Then, we sleep curled up next to each other, feeling safe and secure in each other's arms. In the morning, we eat our rations, kiss each other goodbye, and promise to be back for dinner. It is time for me to climb into the cockpit and lead my men into battle.

From bases across England, Eurofighters take off and fly in formation towards the French coast. We form up into a massive division, with my plane as the lead aircraft. The Tornados will take off shortly after the Eurofighters. If everything goes according to plan, the Tornados should reach France after we have drawn out every Hunter Killer in the area. All that we have to do is keep the enemy aircraft occupied so that the Tornados can fire their plasma tipped Exocets and sink their fleet without being intercepted. As we fly over the English Channel, I look down at the water and I wonder: will this be my last flight?

The Jimmy Carter launches its drones, which have been modified to emit the radar signature of Eurofighters. Our diversion appears to be working, as the skies fill with HKs. Judging by the sheer number of HKs, they must have launched all of their carrier based aircraft and their land based aircraft. I order all of my planes to lock their missiles on the incoming wave of HKs. We lock onto one aircraft per missile, to ensure maximum destruction.

"All right everyone, launch missiles on my mark. Three! Two! One! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"

We simultaneously fire all of our missiles, sending dozens of HKs plummeting into the English Channel. Now to keep these guys occupied so that the Tornados can do their job. I order all of my planes to attack the enemy formation, punch through their lines, and box them into a kill zone. We serve back and forth to avoid the enemy plasma fire, and then fire our own energy canons. To my surprise, the new canons can actually shred a heavily armoured HK with one blast. I inform my pilots to fire one burst at each target and then move on to the next one.

We slice through their ranks like switchblades, decimating everything in our path. However, the Hunter Killers are not concerned with their losses. They still outnumber us 10 to 1, and they are perfectly willing to sacrifice nine of theirs to kill one of ours. As I dart through the skies, destroying target after target, I spot two Eurofighters being trailed by HKs. I swing around, attack the pursuing HKs like a falcon in the dive, and destroy them. I order my men to watch each other's backs, because we are our own best defence up here. The skies are filled with blue flashes as both sides attempt to obliterate each other with energy weapons. It would be beautiful, if they were not trying to kill us.

At one point, I have an HK on my tail that I can not shake. At the same time, Union Jack is having the same problem with another HK. We turn our planes and head straight towards each other. At the last moment, we bank in opposite directions, placing the pursuing HKs in perfect firing positions. We fire our energy canons and simultaneously destroy both attacking HKs. The speed and agility of our aircraft gives us a distinct advantage during dogfights. I am conducting manoeuvres that would impress an aerial acrobatics team, and I am shredding every HK that gets in my way.

Though my pilots are all watching each other's tails, I am still losing men. Many planes explode as enemy plasma fire rips them apart. One unfortunate soul ejected from his plane after it was hit. An HK tore him to shreds with its plasma rifle before he could even open his parachute. I destroyed that HK, as well as four others that were in the area. Unfortunately, I had to watch two other pilots perish in their parachutes. I ordered my remaining men to stay in their planes no matter what happened. If they were hit, they were going to die whether they ejected or not.

Our kill ratio was at least five to one, but we were losing too many planes. It was time to change our strategy. I ordered all of my pilots to form two groups. The first group would charge the enemy, punch through their lines, and then run like hell. The second group would hang back, wait for the first group to be chased by the enemy, and then fly to the rescue. This new tactic worked for a while. My planes would dart through the skies, blast as many HKs as possible, and then retreat into the waiting jaws of my second group of aircraft. The foolish HKs fell for this trap in wave after wave. Countless HKs were ripped apart by our canons. Then, they began to chase us in greater numbers. Our strategy had to change once again, or we were cooked.

This time, I ordered my planes to form up into three groups. Two would strike at the enemy's flank, while the third group would attack straight up the middle. After the third group had punched through the enemy's center, it would dive down and hopefully get the enemy to chase them. The two groups attacking the flanks would dive down and rip the enemy apart. I lead the third group in the attack up the enemy's center. We fly in, quick and agile, and blasted everything in our path. Then, we all dove towards the water and the foolish HKs chased us. As they were diving to destroy us, the other planes managed to surprise and destroy them. Unfortunately, it did not take the HKs a long time to adapt to our attacks. They began to divide their force into three groups as well, one per each of my groups. We were starting to take heavy casualties.

It was time to make one final strike, and pray to God that we survived it. I ordered all of my planes to regroup, drive straight towards their center, and then fire at will. We were to rely on our speed and manoeuvrability to evade destruction. It was a basic fire and manoeuvre strategy, but I was out of ideas at this point. I tore through their formation, manoeuvring through their fire while decimating them with mine. Either their vehicles were too slow to get out of the way, or they were not trying to escape our fire. We fly in groups of three, blasting everything in our path while protecting each other from attack. As plasma bursts flew off in every direction, and I manoeuvred my way through their formation while blasting every HK that I came across, I could not shake the feeling that this was it.

All of a sudden, the HKs began to fall back. They broke formation, which gave us more room to manoeuvre. As I shot through the sky like a dart, destroying countless HKs, I realized that they were not retreating at all. They were regrouping. The HKs were forming a massive wall of aircraft to crush us in a single sweep. This time, they were packed two tightly for us to outmanoeuvre them. It was literally a massive wall of aircraft. We could not win, but we were not going to retreat. Victory or death!

Suddenly, dozens of missiles shot up from the water. The missiles spread out through the enemy formation, and then detonated. Without warning, the entire formation of HKs dropped into the English Channel. It was the most amazing thing that I had ever seen. It was also the most bizarre thing that I had ever seen.

"How the hell...?"

"Say hello to the latest toy to come out of Command: EMP missiles. Time to bring your boys home, Major. Mission accomplished".

"You heard the lady, boys. Let's head for home".

After we had landed, I discovered that over one third of my pilots were unaccounted for. Lena asked if I wanted to send a search party to look for them, but I told her not to bother. If they were not here, then they were dead. Yet, their sacrifice had not been in vain. The Tornados had managed to release their Exocets while the HKs were preoccupied with us, destroying the entire invasion fleet. With that fleet out of commission, the British Resistance would live to fight another day.

Later in the day, I learned that Connor has sent our remaining missile submarines to attack SkyNet facilities throughout Western Europe. Their main shipyards, factories, and airfields had all been vaporized by nuclear missiles. Because we had essentially destroyed all of the enemy's aircraft in the area, the submarines were able to fire missile after missile without being sunk. By the time that SkyNet had scrambled HKs from the east, the submarines had slipped away into the Atlantic. Though our victory had been a costly one, it had seriously crippled SkyNet's ability to fight in Europe. We might have just turned the tide of the war. Though we still have to fight the enemy units in England, I am confident that we will defeat them. We can and will win this war, I just know it.

After hours of debriefings, Catherine and I slipped away from our barracks and headed towards the infantry barracks. When we reached the barracks, we immediately began looking for Allison. We found her, and I crept up behind her as silently as a mouse. Then, I stood behind her and poked her in the sides.

"EEEE! Don't do......you!" Allison threw her arms around me.

"I told you I'd be back".


End file.
